Life's Bittersweet Taste
by I am Lu
Summary: Collection of 50 themed one-shots. Theme #50 - Change of Heart. Yusei x Aki/Akiza and Mikage/Mina x Jack. BONUS: Deleted Scenes.
1. YuAki & MiJack: Advice

Theme #1: Advice  
Couple(s): Yusei x Aki, Mikage x Jack.  
POV: Third  
Language: None  
Maturity: Mild  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's

* * *

"Jack." said the dark and demanding voice of Aki Izayoi simply. Jack didn't bother to look up from his deck, which he had laid out on the table in front of him to examine.

"What do you want?" grumbled Jack.

"Advice."

"Go find it somewhere else. Like from Yusei. Whatever advice you want, I can assure you that Yusei will provide you with better suggestions than I can."

"I can't."

"Why?"

"Because I need advice _on _Yusei." said Aki in a matter-of-fact tone. Jack paused and sighed before finally looking up at Aki.

"Does this have anything to do with you being head-over-heels in love with him? Because if it does, then I _really _can't help you." said Jack plainly. Aki flinched slightly at Jack's description of her feelings for Yusei, but decided to not to comment on it.

"...It does, but I'm more looking for whether it would be wise to tell him how I feel about him or just to forget about it completely." said Aki after a moment.

"And why are you asking me this?" asked Jack in annoyance, starting to tap his fingers on the table; clearly irritated that Aki was wasting his precious time to rearrange his deck.

"Because you're Yusei's friend. And if he returned any of my feelings, he would tell you about it." explained Aki.

"Yusei and I are hardly friends. Go ask Crow."

"Crow," began Aki, contemplating what she was going to say next ", Is an idiot. He would not be able to tell me anything about Yusei's romantic interests."

"Good point. Go ask Mikage. She's much smarter than Crow, and romance is probably more of her specialty than mine or Crow's."

"True, but I highly doubt Yusei would confess anything to Mikage."

"Then I guess you're out of luck." said Jack flatly, returning to his cards. Aki narrowed her eyes and put her hands on her hips, tapping her foot impatiently. After a moment, a sly smile came to her lips.

"Well, then I guess when the time comes that you finally admit that you're _head-over-heels _in love with Mikage, I won't give you any advice on what to do either." said Aki, making sure to emphasize the phrase 'head-over-heels', purely just to spite him. Jack cast his gaze up at Aki warily.

"I don't have any feelings for Mikage." grunted Jack.

" Is that so? What a shame. But she is such a pretty little thing, that I wouldn't be surprised if you did end up falling for her. It's only natural. So you'll be stumbling over yourself, wondering what to do, and making a complete fool out of yourself. But I won't help you, because you won't help me. Thus, you'll be doomed to live this life living with nothing but cats," said Aki, her expression growing more playful as she spoke ", Which is sad, because there are things I could tell you about her that could really help you win her heart."

There was a flicker of curiousity in Jack's eyes.

"Like what?" he said cautiously.

"Sorry, can't say. I already said that I won't tell you anything about her since you refuse to help me." said Aki, knowing that her plan was working. Jack's mouth twitched. The stubborn side of him wanted to continue to withhold the information on Yusei that Aki desired, yet, the curious side of him really wanted to know what she had to say about Mikage.

"Fine," said Jack, giving in to the latter ", I'll tell you this: He talk about you a lot. Aki-this, Aki-that. It's like you're the center of his existence."

Aki smirked and flipped some of her hair behind her shoulder.

"Finally, you talk. You know, you could have told me that five minutes ago and I would've left you alone."

"Hm." mumbled Jack. Aki then turned way, about to leave, but she stopped herself and faced Jack again.

"Oh, I almost forgot: Mikage talks about you a lot, too. Jack-this, Jack-that. It's like your the center of her existence." said Aki, mimicking Jack. Jack rolled his eyes, trying to ignore her mockery; yet, he couldn't help but smile at her words.

* * *

Comments: Yeah, it kind of bashes Crow; but it's not me. I actually love Crow, but let's face it, he would be complete moron when it comes to romance. Also, you can expect more Aki-Jack banter in future themes. And before anyone asks/complains, all th themes will, more or less, be this length. Plus, there'll be about 12 themes that are both Mijack and Yuaki (including this one), 19 themes that are just Yuaki, and 19 themes that are just MiJack. They'll all be labeled as such. 'Till then, please review!


	2. YuAki: Taste

Theme #2: Taste  
Couple(s): Yusei x Aki  
POV: Yusei  
Language: None  
Maturity: Mild  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's

* * *

I can still clearly remember the first time I kissed Aki; where we were, how I felt, what she tasted like...

Cinnamon; sweet, yet spicy. Sort of like her personality. She could really be a sweetheart when she wanted to, but she tended to always have that flair of sarcasm or dry wit. It's what I loved about her though.

Thinking about her taste, however, made me wonder about my own. Did I taste good to her? And more importantly, did we taste good together? These questions bothered me, always nibbling at my consciousness.

I wanted to ask Aki, but every time I tried, my heart would grow shy and my tongue would lose the words I planned to say. So my questions went unanswered.

And I hated it.

So, I made a decision to go ahead and ask her, no matter how big of a fool I would make of myself.

Aki sat comfortably on the sofa, paging through a magazine. I examined her from afar, contemplating how I would go about my question. After a moment, I finally called out to her:

"Aki."

Aki cast her gaze over to me, her amber eyes filled with a sort of curiosity.

"Yes?"

I paused and inhaled a deep breath of air before mentally slapping myself for how obviously nervous I was being.

"Do you...?" I began, feeling the words start to slip out of my mind, like they always do "...remember the first time we kissed?"

Aki cocked her eyebrow upon hearing my inquiry. Despite this, she licked her finger and turned another page of her magazine.

"Yes." she said simply.

"...Then tell me this: What do I taste like?" I finally asked. Aki's eyes widened slightly and she looked back up at me.

"Like...Apples." she said thoughtfully after a minute of silence. I stared at her blankly for a moment before I let out a chuckle.

Apple Cinnamon. Go figure.

Though I wasn't really paying attention, I could see her neutral expression twist in to one of confusion from the corner of my eye.

"What? What's so funny?" she demanded. I shook my head and didn't bothered to answer. Aki crossed her arms impatiently.

"Tell me." she ordered.

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it. It's just something stupid, really." I said, still chuckling slightly. Aki looked unconvinced. So I sauntered over to her and gave her a brief kiss on the lips, licking her lip slightly just to steal a taste of her cinnamon.

"Yusei..." she began after I pulled away "...you're confusing me."

"There's nothing to be confused about."

"Then enlighten me."

"We're Apple Cinnamon."

"What?" she asked incredulously.

"We're Apple Cinnamon." I repeated. Aki stared at me, looking slightly bewildered before chuckling a little herself.

"Yusei...You're retarded."

"No," I said, correcting her ", I'm just in love."

* * *

Comments: Yay for short-ness. And Apple Cinnamon. While writing this theme I thought of the cereal "Apple Jacks" the entire time.


	3. MiJack: Age

Theme #3: Age  
Couple(s): Mikage x Jack.  
POV: Third  
Language: Mild  
Maturity: Medium  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's.

* * *

Jack pinned Mikage up against the back of the sofa cushion, giving her a passionate kiss on the lips; or rather, several passionate kisses...in several different places.

"Atlas-sama...wait..." mumbled Mikage shyly in between his rain of kisses. Jack, for once attempting to show respect to her, stopped himself and pulled away.

"Something wrong?" he asked simply, tapping his fingers on his knee; a nervous habit, almost a way to keep himself occupied so that he'd stay off of her for the time being.

"N-No, I just...Is this right? You're so young..." stammered Mikage, a blush creeping on to her cheeks. Jack shrugged and gently kissed her where her face was reddening.

"Three years really isn't that big a difference." said Jack huskily in to her ear after a moment.

"I-I feel like I'm taking advantage of you." stuttered Mikage.

"You're not." said Jack plainly, clearly struggling to restrain himself.

"B-but you could so easily find someone much younger...and much more beautiful." added Mikage. Jack rolled his eyes.

"Damn Mikage, you're only twenty-three. You're still really young...and beautiful," said Jack, leaning in and kissing her on the neck "Besides, If I found anyone more young and beautiful than you, they would be classified as a giggling, self-conceited schoolgirl. Ugh, I _hate _them. They're almost as bad as the fangirls I used to have."

Then Jack, unable to contain himself any longer, began to kiss Mikage again.

"But...how will you feel about that in a few years when those 'schoolgirls' are the same age as I am now?" asked Mikage, pulling herself away. Jack sighed and backed off of her before planting himself right next to her on the sofa.

"Why do you worry about these things?" grunted Jack, folding his arms as if he were pouting.

"Because...I don't want to my heart to be broken." said Mikage quietly.

"Well, unfortunately, that's a risk you take in love." said Jack plainly. Mikage look up at him incredulously, surprised that he, the Jack Atlas, was advising her in her romantic endeavors. Mikage then looked away to hide another forming blush, but didn't say anything. Jack studied her for a moment before he cleared his throat.

"What is age anyway? It's just a number." said Jack casually. Mikage's eyes widened slightly as she cast a quick glance over at Jack.

"What do you think?" asked Jack, cocking his eyebrow at her as he leaned back in to the cushions. Mikage paused.

"I think..." began Mikage, contemplating what she was going to say next "...that you're absolutely right."

And with that said, Mikage, without hesitation, brought herself up on to Jack's lap and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling his face close to her own. Jack smirked.

"I knew you'd come around." said Jack slyly as he snaked his arm around her waist and kissed her deeply on the lips.

* * *

Comments: Jack is a manwhore. He really is. And I fail to write smexy kiss scenes.


	4. YuAki: Hero

Theme #4: Hero  
Couple(s): Yusei x Aki  
POV: Aki  
Language: None  
Maturity: None  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's

* * *

Hero.

A preserver, a defender, a protector.

With a courageous heart and a valiant mind.

Hero.

A light, a beacon, a hope.

The guide to our future.

Hero.

A redeemer, a liberator, a deliverer.

One who gives a second chance.

Hero.

An angel, a guardian, a rescuer.

A savior to the soul.

Hero.

A Signer, a friend, a lover?

Yusei Fudo.

Most would say he's far from being a hero because he was raised in the Satellite. Or because he was in a dueling gang. Or because some of those he associated with became murderers. Or because he consistently rebelled against security. Or because he trespassed in to Neo Domino City. Or because he has the mark of a criminal on his cheek.

I disagree. He is a hero.

Because only a hero could bring hope to Satellite. Because only a hero could repair a friendship that's beyond a point of no return. Because only a hero could soften the heart of a convict. Because only a hero could humble a king. Because only a hero could close the gates of hell. Because only a hero could survive the wrath of a God. Because only a hero would put his life on the line for those who love him, and hate him.

Because only a hero can open the heart of a witch.

Yes, he's not just any hero.

He's my hero.

* * *

Comments: Short and stupid and cheesy. Yuck.


	5. YuAki & MiJack: Soft

Theme #5: Soft  
Couple(s): Yusei x Aki, Mikage x Jack.  
POV: Third  
Language: Medium  
Maturity: None  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's

* * *

"I don't understand why you're so interested in him; He's such an asshole, and you could do _so _much better." said Aki as she laid her head down on her boyfriend's, Yusei's, lap. Mikage sighed.

"I-I don't know..." she stammered, blushing "...Every time I'm around him, I just..."

Mikage's voice trailed off. Yusei cast his gaze warily over to Mikage before looking back down at Aki.

"...While it's true Jack can be...well, a Jackass, you can't deny that he's got a soft spot for Mikage." he said plainly. Mikage's eyes widened slightly as she glanced at Yusei.

"He does?" inquired Mikage, looking surprised.

"Mhm." mumbled Yusei, relaxing in to the cushions of the sofa. Aki's mouth twitched.

"Well...He does talk about you some..." admitted Aki after a moment.

"What does he say?" asked Mikage, her eyes full of curiosity.

"Nothing important, really...I think the most significant thing he ever said was that way you smiled was 'kinda cute'. Never a love confession, or anything like that, but..." said Aki, pausing to examine the reddening of Mikage's cheeks.

Aki suddenly smirked.

"...but..." continued Aki, sitting up; which seemed to displease Yusei slightly, since he enjoyed her intimate company. "...the more I think about it, the more I realize that Yusei's right; Jack is sort of like a fluffy bunny on the inside when it comes to you. Granted, it's a fluffy bunny surrounded by an electric fence and a mine field. But it's a fluffy bunny nonetheless."

Mikage couldn't help but giggle at Aki's comparison; even Yusei cracked a smile.

"Well," began Mikage after a moment ", What should I do then?"

"How about the classic 'tell him that you love him?' That's how Aki and I got together. In fact, that's how must people get together." grunted Yusei.

"What if he doesn't return my feelings though?" asked Mikage, shuffling her feet uncomfortably. Yusei shrugged.

"Then that's that." said Yusei bluntly. Mikage paused and sighed before looking down at the ground, not replying.

"I really wouldn't worry about it too much though," began Aki encouragingly", Jack's ego has probably blown up to the point where he thinks he deserves a girlfriend. And hey, you're cute and he actually does like you a little bit."

"You think so?" asked Mikage, lookng hopeful. Aki nodded.

"Well then...I'll put my trust in to your words and I'll go to tell him..." said Mikage thoughtfully before grabbing her coat.

"Right now?" inquired Yusei. Mikage flashed a rare smile of confidence.

"Why not?" she plainly before quickly running off to find Jack. Yusei and Aki remained silent for a moment before Aki turned to him, saying:

"Yusei...Do you really believe in what you said? That Jack has a soft spot for Mikage? Because I didn't want to give her false hope..." said Aki, her voice trailing off. Yusei didn't respond at first, contemplating his answer.

"...Yes; I truly think that Jack does have tender feelings for Mikage. He just doesn't express them." replied Yusei simply. Aki paused and laid back down on to Yusei's lap.

"But, just in case...If he does reject her, can we gag, bound, and bribe him?" said Aki, with a sly, almost sadistic smirk coming to her lips. Yusei rolled his eyes.

"Whatever you want, Aki."

* * *

Comments: I'm getting worse at this. Blergheuragudamuminuma. (That's a new word for ya'll, courtesy of myself.)


	6. MiJack: Chase

Theme #1: Chase  
Couple(s): Mikage x Jack.  
POV: Mikage  
Language: Mild  
Maturity: None  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's

* * *

Have you ever felt like you're chasing after someone you can't obtain? That as you're running after him, you're getting nowhere, and he's getting somewhere?

And when you call his name, he's too far away to hear. So you cry out louder, but he just keeps going.

Then you decide to quicken your pace, and finally, you start to make progress. Soon enough, you're right up behind him and you reach out to grab his hand.

But then you trip and fall to the ground. And you mutter to yourself, "_Damn, I was so close._"

Still, you get up, brush off the dirt, and keep chasing after him with the hope that one day you will catch him; that you'll slip your hand in to his and stop him. That he'll turn around and give you his full attention.

And then you'll mutter something quietly to him; and he'll ask you to repeat it, because he couldn't hear what you said. So you'll say it louder and clearer, the three simple words:

"_I love you._"

And he'll stand there motionless for a moment, staring at you blankly.

Then he'll smile.

"_It's about time you said something._" he'll say as he wipes away your tears.

Then he'll cup your cheek and kiss you softly. And the outside world will be gone; It'll be just you and him, in your moment.

But until that time, I'll just keep chasing after him, hoping that I'll eventually catch up.

* * *

Comments: Short and sweet. Please don't hate me.


	7. YuAki: Driving

Theme #7: Driving  
Couple(s): Yusei x Aki  
POV: Third  
Language: Mild  
Maturity: None  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's

* * *

"You, without a doubt, must be the worst driver in the world." commented Yusei, clinging to his seat as his girlfriend, Aki parked in the driveway of her parent's mansion. Aki snorted and rolled her eyes.

"You're over-exaggerating." said Aki exasperatedly as she turned off the car. Yusei shook his head as he got out of the car.

"No, I'm not; I feel like I'm getting in to a herse every time I get in to the passenger's seat with you at the wheel." said Yusei bluntly.

"Well, what do I do that's so awful?" asked Aki.

"Hm, well let's see: you make dangerously sharp turns, you have no depth perception whatsoever, you almost get in to a car crash every ten minutes, and you are always going at least 15 miles above the speed limit." listed Yusei, counting his accusations on his fingers. Aki irritably forced his hand down.

"So? I thought you liked going fast." said Aki, folding her arms in annoyance.

"Not when my life is flashing before my eyes." said Yusei, mimicking her gesture.

Aki looked undaunted for a moment before she faltered, sighing and looking slightly defeated.

"Then why do you even bother to come with me to visit my parents when you think I'm scary as hell?" asked Aki quietly. Yusei realized his sarcasm must've somehow struck a sensitive spot in Aki.

"Hey...I didn't say you were as scary as hell...I just said driving with you is as scary as hell." said Yusei tenderly. Aki didn't respond for a moment, but she soon cracked a rare smile.

"Fine then; I'll be a safer driver. In fact, if it makes you feel better, you can drive home." said Aki, looking up sheepishly at Yusei. Yusei, too, smiled and ruffled his girlfriend's hair slightly.

"I like that idea much better." said Yusei, slipping his hand in to hers and kissing her lightly on the cheek. Aki's skin blushed a light pink but she said nothing.

"But now, here comes the _really _scary part." continued Yusei, looking up at the mansion. Aki's expression twisted in to one of confusion.

"And that is...?" asked Aki, her voice trailing off slightly. Yusei cast his gaze cautiously back over to Aki and gave her a weak smile.

"Telling your parents that we're dating." he said plainly.

* * *

Comments: I can't help but think Aki would be a suck-ish driver. It just seems to be...So Aki-ish. I need to write longer crap.

FYI, I'm running a YuAki sort of contest that starts on April 1st and ends on April 25th. There are prizes. See the 'Links' section in my profile for the link to the full details.


	8. MiJack: Glasses

Theme #8: Glasses  
Couple(s): Mikage x Jack.  
POV: Jack  
Language: Medium  
Maturity: None  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's

* * *

There was something different about her today; but I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

"Good morning, Atlas-sama." said Mikage simply and sweetly. I didn't answer. I only examined her, carefully looking her over to try and figure out what made her stand out today among all days. Mikage looked unnerved by silence.

"...Atlas-sama?" she inquired, fidgeting uncomfortably as my eyes scanned her over. Finally, I realized the difference.

"You're wearing glasses." I commented aloud. She blinked and looked slightly confused.

"Yes, I am," she said plainly, pushing the rim of the glasses up slightly", I couldn't find my contacts this morning, so..."

Her voice trailed off as she let out a quiet laugh and turned away. I blinked and turned away as well. But the image of her and her glasses refused to vanish from my mind. It stayed there, comfortably nestled in my visual memories as it purred; sort of like a cat, with it's dangerously alluring personality.

I tried to shake the thoughts away, but it was no use. Instead, I found myself carefully casting Mikage a quick glance before snapping my head away and mentally chastising myself. Still, my thoughts ran away from me and back to her. The glasses made her look oddly mature, older; but not in a bad sort of way. They seemed to draw her the fine line between girl and woman, although she always seemed to lean to the latter, despite her small size and youthful smile.

My lip twitched.

Could it be possible that I was...feeling an attraction to her? I looked over at her again, but this time, my eyes refused to leave her; after a few minutes, she looked up at me, blinking.

"Is something wrong, Atlas-sama?" she asked shyly, slightly estranged by my behavior.

Shit. She caught me staring.

"No; nothing." I said, quickly looking away. Mikage examined me for a moment before sighing and returning to work. After she turned away, I couldn't help but sneak another glance at her.

It was like this for the rest of the day.

* * *

Comments: Ha, Jack has a glasses fetish.


	9. YuAki & MiJack: Hot Chocolate

Theme #9: Hot Chocolate  
Couple(s): Yusei x Aki, Mikage x Jack.  
POV: Yusei  
Language: Mild  
Maturity: None  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's

* * *

"Damn, this place is _so _cold," began Aki, blowing air in to her hands in order to keep them warm ", when are you going to fix your heater?"

Jack shrugged. He, Aki, Mikage, and I were all spending the snowy afternoon together in Jack's flat; unfortunately, his heating system had malfunctioned the week before, and the rooms were nearly as cold as the outside weather.

"Mikage's tried calling the system's company several times, but they won't send anyone until the storm blows over," began Jack, relaxing in to the cushions of the sofa he was in ", but I don't mind. I actually like it this cold."

Aki looked at Jack incredulously.

"Well...I guess that makes sense. After all, the room matches the temperature of your heart." muttered Aki, smirking after a moment. Yet, another infamous Aki insult that indirectly referred to Jack's normally harsh treatment of Mikage; something Aki often bothered Jack about.

_'How can you even be cruel to Mikage?' _Aki would often say to Jack when Mikage wasn't in the room _', Being mean to Mikage is almost as bad as punching a baby in the face and **laughing** about it.'_

Aki and Mikage had become rather close over the course of the past few months. And because of that, Aki had grown to be passionate over protecting Mikage's meek little heart. I admired her for it. It said a lot about how much Aki herself had come after being known as the Black Rose Witch for years.

Jack's eyes flickered with anger and I thought he was going to lose his temper; but as if on cue, Mikage entered the room with her usual expression on contentment plastered on her face. Oddly, Jack settled down almost immediately.

"I made some hot chocolate." she said simply, setting down the tray with the four cups of the hot liquid. Aki and I each took a cup, enjoying the heat flow from the side of the cup in to the tips of fingers. Our attention, however, was quickly lost to Mikage, who had seated herself next to Jack, curling up beside him.

And Jack _allowed_ it.

Aki and I exchanged quick glances, both of us perplexed by the situation. Jack smirked and mouthed "I've done my part, now it's your turn." to Aki. She glared intensely at Jack for a moment before easing up and allowing a light blush to come to her cheeks. The whole event struck my curiosity. Was there some sort of secret deal going on between Aki and Jack?

Suddenly, I found that Aki had also nuzzled in to my side. I looked at Jack, cocking my eyebrow quizzically at him as if to ask "What the hell is going on?" Jack smirked knowingly but shrugged, taking a sip of the hot chocolate and letting Mikage relax against his chest.

"Hot chocolate tastes sweeter when you share it with someone." commented Mikage, breaking the slightly uncomfortable silence. I looked down at Aki, who actually looked quite content. I smiled and let out a quiet sigh as I put my arm around her, all while taking a sip of my hot chocolate.

I silently agreed with Mikage.

* * *

Comments: I'm sure most of you don't get it, so I'll explain; it's implied in this theme that Aki and Jack strike a deal that if he gets together with Mikage, she'll get together with Yusei. Does that make better sense? No? Oh well.

Reviews are love. So if you love me, review. If you don't love me, review anyway.


	10. YuAki: Nap

Theme #10: Nap  
Couple(s): Yusei x Aki  
POV: Yusei  
Language: None  
Maturity: None  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's

* * *

A child's least favorite part of the day is nap time; it pulls them away from their friends, and forces them to sleep for a single hour. Yet, it is the opposite when you become an adult; a nap is the most cherished part of the day. It becomes an escape from the troubles of the world. Even 20 minutes of extra sleep is precious.

I laid on the makeshift bed, half-concious with my eyes closed. I felt myself slipping away in to sleep when I could distantly hear the sound of footsteps and the collapse of a body on the same bed. I opened my eyes drowsily to see that Aki had fallen in heap of exaustion beside me.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" she asked, sounding quite tired herself.

"No." I replied simply. It was half-true; I wasn't asleep, but I wasn't exactly concious either. Aki smiled weakly and closed her eyes, moving a little closer to me.

"I saw you sleeping here, and thought it was a good idea, so I decided to join you," she explained ", I hope you don't mind."

"I don't." I said, surpressing a yawn. Aki smiled again and edged even closer to me. Normally, I would be surprised by her actions; however, I was too exhausted to really notice, or care for that matter. So I accpted her action fully, wrapping my arm around her and pulling her in to my chest. She sighed contently and nuzzled in to my shoulder.

It didn't take long for us to fall asleep.

It would probably be awkward between us for awhile after we woke up and our minds were fully functioning, but our nap felt so much more enjoyable in each other's arms.

* * *

Comments: Short. Again. Written because I'm tired.

Reviews are love. So if you love me, review. If you don't love me, review anyway.


	11. MiJack: Date

Theme #11: Date  
Couple(s): Mikage x Jack.  
POV: Third  
Language: None  
Maturity: None  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's

* * *

Neither were willing to admit to themselves, or anyone else, that their day together was actually a date.

But everyone knew it. It had become clear that Mikage and Jack had discovered that they wanted to be more personal than just a secretary and a superior. Even to the director, whom was not happy about the situation, in spite of Jack explaining that their "date" was merely a platonic outing.

That is, a platonic outing in which they were informally dressed. And speaking without honorifics. And walking close alongside each other.

"Is there anything in particular you'd like to do?" asked Jack casually as he walked beside Mikage through the park. Mikage shook her head and smiled.

"Not really; I just enjoy being with you." said Mikage, edging closer to Jack. Jack's face tinted pink and he turned his head away to hide his blush. Mikage seemed disappointed by his action, frowning slightly. But she didn't want the opportunity to slip away, so she brushed her hand subtly against his. Jack's eyes widened slightly in realization and he quickly grabbed her hand, taking the hint. Mikage smiled again and let out a silent sigh of contentment.

"Godwin's going to murder us if he finds out what were doing." murmured Jack quietly to Mikage. Mikage blinked, wondering if this meant Jack was conciously thinking that their relationship was possibly evolving in to something romantic.

"Perhaps." replied Mikage simply after a brief moment. A silence fell over them, yet it was not awkward. In fact, it was sort of comforting in its own way; it was a time when the pair could enjoy themselves without the weight of the world hanging over them.

Mikage leaned against Jack's shoulder. Jack smirked.

While they still refused to say it out loud, they both knew in their minds that this was no "friendly outing."

* * *

Comments: Eh, this is probably way out of character. But I wrote this because I would love to see Mikage and Jack start the process of of getting personal; flirting, dating, and all that other cute jazz.

Reviews are love. So if you love me, review. If you don't love me, review anyway.


	12. YuAki: Stadium

Theme #12: Stadium  
Couple(s): Yusei x Aki  
POV: Aki  
Language: None  
Maturity: None  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's

* * *

Cold.

The wind brushed by me in the empty, dark dueling stadium, making me shiver.

I was alone. By choice, of course. Which is odd, since I normally hate being by myself. I've expirienced the full effects of complete soilitude, and I certainly don't want to return to that state. But I needed to think. And the chaos at the twins' mansion was not the place to do it. I needed silence. Somewhere where there weren't five other people to come and interrupt me. More if anyone was visiting; which was common since Yusei had quite the network of friends from both Neo Domino and Satellite.

"I figured you'd be here." said a familiar, emotionless voice from behind me. I froze.

"How'd you know?" I asked simply. I didn't bother to face him; I already knew who it was.

"I just had a feeling you would be...and Mikage said you had headed off in this direction." said Yusei, sitting himself beside me in the stands. I didn't reply.

"So...what's on your mind?" asked Yusei after a moment.

"I think you know." I said plainly. Yusei stared at me briefly before he closed his eyes and sighed.

"The proposal?" he asked, the words leaving his tongue slowly and carefully. I nodded. Yusei paused and leaned back againts the metal seat, but said nothing. I blinked and looked out at the empty stadium.

"This is where we first met." I commented, breaking the silence.

"It is." replied Yusei, his eyes still closed.

"They've repaired the damages." I continued.

"They have." replied Yusei simply. I bit my lip and shifted on the seat uncomfortably. My attempt to change the subject was failing. If there was one thing I hated (or loved) about Yusei, it was his uncanny ability to draw out the burning questions within you, even with just a few words, or silence.

"Why me?" I finally asked, unable to resist any longer. Yusei remained motionless for a moment before he turned and looked at me carefully, his stunning, blue eyes piercing through me.

"Because I love you."

It was only four words but it was enough to send chills up my spine. I licked my lips; my mouth was feeling dry, but I couldn't help but finally spill everything that was on my mind at the moment.

"I-It's not like I don't want to marry you," I began, stammering and blushing ",I do. I-I really do. But after everything I've done to you, after everything you've gone through for me-"

"-would it all be for nothing if I didn't get to spend the rest of my life you?" he said, cutting me off. I stopped and felt my eyes widen, putting my hands up to my lips in shock.

"Y-Yusei..."

I kissed him; it was the only that I could do to express how I felt at the moment. I saw him smile after I pulled away.

"Come on," he said, lacing his fingers through my own and standing up ", let's go home. Everyone's been worried about you."

I nodded and stood up as well before we walked out. But as we did, I took one last glance at the empty stadium, smiling, and tightening my grip on Yusei's hand.

* * *

Comments: I don't really have much to say. Well, the YuAki couple boost that I'm hosting just started, but it's not too late to join. It's going till' April 25th and there are prizes. Join. Now. Go to my profile and the link to the details are under the "Links" section.

Reviews are love. So if you love me, review. If you don't love me, review anyway.


	13. MiJack: Cell Phone

Theme #13: Cell Phone  
Couple(s): Mikage x Jack.  
POV: Third  
Language: None  
Maturity: None  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's

* * *

The high-pitched ring cut through the air of the office; it was Mikage's cell phone, going off for the unempth time that afternoon. Mikage hastily pulled it out of her bag and answered it. Jack rolled his eyes. How many calls could one girl receive in an hour?

After about two minutes, Mikage finished speaking and put away her phone. Jack took a sip of the tea he had before he cast his gaze warily up to the young woman.

"You're addicted to your cell phone." he accused simply.

"I am not," Mikage retorted, sitting herself down to fill out some paper work ", they're all work-related calls."

"Then let me rephrase; you're addicted to work. When was the last time you had a vacation?" asked Jack. Mikage paused and brought two fingers to her lips in thought.

"Um..." she said, her voice trailing off.

"Exactly. You're addicted to work." repeated Jack.

"How do you figure?" asked Mikage.

"Because you're here every single day. Even when you're sick," began Jack plainly as he stood and leaned against the side of her desk", furthermore, the inability to recall the last time you _didn't_ come to work is a sign that you are here too often."

Mikage opened her mouth to protest, but before she could, her cell phone went off again. Mikage pulled it out of her bag and prepared to click the 'receive' button before Jack snatched it out of her hand. He then quickly pressed the 'end' button, canceling the call.

"H-hey; that call was from the director!" stammered Mikage in exasperation. Jack cast his gaze over to her, his face plastered with boredom.

"So?"

"So? He's my boss!" said Mikage, trying to reach up and grab the phone from him; but Jack held it up higher than she could reach. Suddenly, the phone went off again. Mikage started to look desperate.

"Atlas-sama, please..." she begged. Jack considered for a brief moment about what he should do before a somewhat sly smile came to his face.

"I'll tell you what: I'll give you your cell phone back on one condition." said Jack, leaning down so that their faces were more level. Mikage's cheeks flushed pink.

"S-sure...Name what you want." said Mikage, trying to maintain her composure as Jack leaned closer to her face.

"I want...a kiss." he said plainly, now smirking. Mikage nearly fell over.

"W-what?" she said, blushing madly.

"You heard me. I want a kiss." repeated Jack.

"Atlas-sama, I don't think that's-" began Mikage before Jack cut her off.

"-Take it or leave it."

The cell phone rang for the third time. Mikage licked her lips uncomfortably.

"Fine." she said plainly, cupping his cheek and give him a brief kiss on the lips; or at least, what was intended to be one. The cell phone dropped to the ground as Jack wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed back.

The cell phone went unheard.

* * *

Comments: Because I've always wanted to try my hand at Jack flirting.

Reviews are love. So if you love me, review. If you don't love me, review anyway.


	14. YuAki: Pills

Theme #14: Pills  
Couple(s): Yusei x Aki  
POV: Third  
Language: Medium  
Maturity: Medium  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's

* * *

"So what's the verdict, my naughty little harlot?" asked Jack as he spooned himself a mouthful of strawberry yogurt.

"I don't know...It hasn't come in yet," said Aki, casting her gaze warily over to the blond duelist ", why the hell are you eating yogurt?"

Jack shrugged.

"I was eating it when Mikage sent me to come be your comforter." said Jack plainly. Aki sighed in exasperation.

"Yeah, remind me to kick her ass for that." she grumbled.

"Hey, Mikage would've been here herself if she could get away from the director for one minute. And believe me, I would much rather her be here than me. But she felt bad about leaving you alone, so she begged me to come," said Jack before eating another spoonful of yogurt ", And don't act like she's the one to blame for this mess. This is your own damn fault."

Aki folded her arms angrily.

"This isn't my fault. This is the birth control pills' fault; they're the ones that failed me." said Aki, tapping her foot in irritation.

"Well abstinence is the only safe-" began Jack before Aki cut him off.

"Oh, don't give me any of that bullshit; You don't practice abstinence." snapped Aki.

"True, but I haven't gotten anyone pregnant." said Jack cooly.

"Yet." added Aki. She then sighed and glanced down at the pregnancy test in her hands before throwing it on the ground and screaming:

"Dammit!-"

"-What's going on up here?" asked Yusei, Aki's boyfriend, appearing in the doorway after hearing her curse. Aki froze, horror-stricken. Jack smirked and leaned against the wall.

"Aki has something to tell you." said Jack quickly. Aki shot him a death glare; the very reason Aki had called for Mikage to come see her in the first place was so she wouldn't have to talk to Yusei, who was undoubtedly the father. Yusei cocked his eyebrow quizzically.

"Aki?" he inquired, glancing over at the young woman, who was now looking rather antsy. Yusei blinked and tilted his head slightly, confused about her nervous state.

"What do you need to tell me, Aki?" he asked calmly before approaching her. Aki bit her lip uncomfortably.

"Yusei...remember when we decided that we should use birth control pills?" she asked slowly. Yusei simply nodded. Aki inhaled sharply and shut her eyes tightly.

"Well...they, uh, didn't work." she said nervously. Silence fell. Jack licked the remains of his yogurt off of his spoon, still smirking at the couple. Yusei's eyes twitched slightly.

"You're pregnant?" he asked quietly. Aki, whom had found something about the ground to be quite fascinating, nodded. Yusei paused in thought before a rare smile came to his lips.

"Then I'm a father!" exclaimed Yusei, taking up both of her hands into his. Aki's eyes widened in surprise.

"Y-Yusei..." she began, stammering "...But I thought...A baby...I mean, we're not married..."

Yusei shrugged.

"I know. But we're almost 21, so I was going to marry you soon anyway; assuming you said 'Yes'." said Yusei casually before kissing her deeply on the lips. Aki was taken aback by both his words and gesture, but after a brief moment, she kissed him back with matching passion.

"Oh God, I'm gonna puke." gagged Jack sarcastically before leaving the future parents behind.

* * *

Comment: Yay, 50 reviews! Thanks so much guys!

And it's the return of Aki and Jack banter!

Reviews are love. So if you love me, review. If you don't love me, review anyway.


	15. YuAki & MiJack: Sharing

Theme #15: Sharing  
Couple(s): Yusei x Aki, Mikage x Jack.  
POV: Third  
Language: Medium  
Maturity: Mild  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's

* * *

"Ugh, do you two have to share everything?" asked Jack sarcastically as he examined Yusei and Aki, both sick in bed.

"Sharing is caring." said Yusei hoarsely while giving Aki a weak smile. Jack rolled his eyes.

"Not when it's a cold." said Jack plainly, folding his arms like a dissappointed parent.

"Quit your bitching and go help your girlfriend with that tea tray; those things are damn heavy." said Aki, referring to Mikage, whom had entered the room carrying the said platter. Jack's eye twitched upon the word "girlfriend", but he decided to ignore the comment. He and the young secretary weren't an item, but both Yusei and Aki suspected that they wanted to be one.

"Damn, you certainly have more attitude when your sick ," mumbled Jack before heapproached Mikage and took the tray up into his own hands (while discovering that it, indeed, was very heavy) ", Here, let me get that for you."

Mikage blushed and nodded, taken aback by his abnormally kind action.

"H-How did you two get sick anyway?" asked Mikage after a moment, still flustered.

"How do you think?" murmurred Jack as he served the ill couple tea ", one of 'em caught a bug and made out with the other."

Both Yusei and Aki turned scarlet red.

"N-not true." stammered Yusei, coughing awkwardly.

"Y-Yeah." added Aki, unable to say much more. The couple knew they were guilty of the accusation. Mikage suppressed a giggle as Jack smirked.

"Hey, you were the one who said that 'sharing is caring'." chuckled Jack. Yusei and Aki cast their gazes sheepishly at each other in realization that neither Jack or Mikage were going to let them forget how they both came down with a cold that week.

* * *

Comments: Yes, it was short. But I'm on a writer's block. Bleh.

Reviews are love. So if you love me, review. If you don't love me, review anyway.


	16. MiJack: Smoke

Theme #16: Smoke  
Couple(s): Mikage x Jack.  
POV: Third  
Language: Medium  
Maturity: Mild  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's

* * *

Mikage sat against the brick wall outside the Public Safety Maintenance Bureau, her figure lit by the streetlight. She could see from afar that someone was watching her in the dark. But she didn't bother to fear who it was or what he was doing, despite the fact that it was past midnight and that she was defenseless.

She knew who it was anyway.

"Smoking will be the death of you." she said bitterly, noticing the dim glow of the cigarette. She knew it wasn't her place to say it, but she didn't care at the moment. The male sighed.

"I know," he began in a surprisingly calm tone ", I've tried quitting several times, but..."

His voice trailed off as he entered into the yellow glow of the light, confirming Mikage's suspicion that this person was none other than Jack Atlas.

"Did you follow me here?" she asked plainly. Jack hesitated.

"Yeah." he admitted after a moment.

"Why?" she asked.

"I saw your argument with Jeager. You looked upset so I decided to come to talk to you."

"Since when have you cared about how I felt?" muttered Mikage.

"Since when have you become a bitch?" he asked, almost immediately regretting it. He knew that he should've known better; the very reason Mikage was so austere at the moment was because of the vehement comments exchanged between her and Godwin's second-hand man. And calling her a bitch was really only making it worse.

Mikage looked hurt, but she didn't say anything.

"I'm sorry, Mikage. I shouldn't have said that."

Again, Mikage didn't reply. Jack sighed and respectfully stamped out his cigarette against the wall before seating himself next to her. Mikage looked away as he did, almost as if to hide something. Jack realized that she was.

"Oh God Mikage, please don't cry..." said Jack as he forced her to look at him, but it was too late; already, a single, salty tear had run down her soft face. Jack tenderly cupped her cheek and brushed the remaining tears out of her golden eyes.

"I'm really sorry." he apologized again. Mikage closed her eyes.

"It's fine." she said plainly. She forgave him. She always forgave him.

Jack put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his chest. Mikage blinked in surprise, but accepted the gesture and relaxed. Silence fell; there were no more words that were needed to be said. The warmth they felt and the lack of cigarette smoke screamed volumes.

* * *

Comments: Hey, it's called "Life's Bittersweet Taste". I had to write a bittersweet theme eventually.

Reviews are love. So if you love me, review. If you don't love me, review anyway.


	17. YuAki: Future

Theme #17: Future  
Couple(s): Yusei x Aki.  
POV: Yusei  
Language: Mild  
Maturity: Mild  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's

* * *

I licked my finger and slowly turned a page of the novel. I normally didn't read in the morning; it was a night time activity, usually before I went to sleep.

However, at the moment, it was more of a nervous distraction than a hobby.

My wife, Aki, wasn't beside me when I woke up.

I knew she was fine; my heart assured me she was. But I couldn't help but worry about her. However, I knew that if I went to look for her, or tried to contact her, she would get angry with me for being "over-protective".

Typical Aki.

So I picked up the book in order to keep my mind off of the lack of her presence.

"Why the hell are you reading on such a nice day?" said an all-too-familiar voice. I cast my gaze upwards. Sure enough, there was Aki, her pregnant belly quite noticeable, even with the large maternity clothing.

"Watch your language." I warned. I normally didn't mind Aki cursing, however, with the presence of a child in less than three months, it was a habit I hoped she would break.

Aki rolled her eyes but didn't reply.

"Where have you been?" I asked after a moment.

"Kyon woke me up early and I couldn't go back to sleep; so I decided to go for a walk." explained Aki, Kyon being our unborn son.

"You had worried." I said plainly. Aki scowled.

"I can fend for myself if anything comes up." she defended.

"I don't doubt that you can. But Kyon can't." I said simply. Aki sighed.

"Alright, I'm sorry." she said, defeated.

"I'm not angry, just concerned." I said.

"Well I can't always tell with you. You're so damn - er, dang - mysterious." said Aki, correcting herself. I smiled and set down my book on the end table before gesturing for Aki to come lay beside me. She did so.

"He's kicking, by the way." said Aki as she settled herself down comfortably. Instinctively, I laid my hand on her belly.

"Where?" I inquired.

"Here." she said, moving my hand to the spot where, indeed, Kyon was kicking. I shuddered; the moment was magical every time. That feeling of life within her; life that she and I created together.

"Just three more months." said Aki with a smile. I closed my eyes.

"I can't wait." I said simply.

For once in my life, the future was brighter than the noonday sun.

* * *

Comments: Because I love babies. And Aki is not OOC. She's just rough around the edges.

Reviews are love. So if you love me, review. If you don't love me, review anyway.


	18. MiJack: Apartment

Theme #18: Apartment  
Couple(s): Mikage x Jack.  
POV: Third  
Language: None  
Maturity: Mild  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's

* * *

"So, what do you think?" asked Jack as he guided his ex-secretary, Mikage, around his newly bought apartment.

"It's really nice." she said with her usual, simple smile plastered on her face.

"You think?" smirked Jack as he turned to face her. Mikage nodded.

"I do; I'm really excited for you." she said simply. And it as true; she sincerely was excited that he was moving out from under the director's care to start his own life. However, because he no longer was associated with the director, neither was she. It was heartbreaking for her to think of the possibility of having to separate from him. Yet, for some odd reason, he kept contact with her.

And she didn't know why.

Jack stuffed his hands in his pockets. Mikage tilted her head to the side slightly. From spending two years with him, she could practically read his gestures like a book; and putting his hands in his pocket meant he was either nervous, or being shy.

"I think it's too big." he said plainly. Mikage's eyes widened in confusion.

"Why?" she inquired.

"I think I'll get lonely." she replied. Mikage mouthed an "Oh". She didn't know what to say; Jack never seemed to get lonely. From what he had told her about his life in Satellite, he spent a lot of time alone. But it didn't bother him then. So why now?

"That's why..." began Jack, turning away from her to look out the window "...I'd like you to live with me."

Mikage let out an inaudible gasp and blushed. She had not suspected he would ever make such an offer; especially when they weren't involved romantically.

"A-Atlas-sama...I...Isn't...Don't only people who are in a relationship live together?" stammered Mikage, struggling to put together her words. Jack paused.

"I thought you might say that." he said as he turned to face her again. Mikage said nothing, only staring up at him in disbelief as he slowly approached her and lifted her chin up.

"However...I can solve that." he said quietly before he leaned in and kissed her pink lips gently. Mikage shivered at his contact, but she couldn't help but kiss him back.

As the new couple pulled away from eachother, Mikage smirked and said coyly:

"Well...As your girlfriend, I'd love to live with you."

* * *

Comments: So OOC. So much fail.

Reviews are love. So if you love me, review. If you don't love me, review.


	19. YuAki: Heat

Theme #19: Heat  
Couple(s): Yusei x Aki  
POV: Yusei  
Language: Medium  
Maturity: Mild  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's

* * *

The heat intensity of the sun was excruciating. What made it worse was that our, or rather, the twins' AC was broken. 10-year warranty my ass.

To further my discomfort, the twins, Aki, and I were spending time in the mansion wearing the least amount of clothing as possible without stripping down to our underwear. Normally, I wouldn't mind this, except for one thing; I was in the presence of Aki. And that alone was a problem for two reasons:

One, I'm self-conscious - around her, at least - I can't bring myself to go shirtless, unlike Rua, because I'm too worried about how I'll appear to her. Which is unfortunate, since the cloth of my undershirt is thick and black.

Two, she's spending her time in nothing but a low-cut cami and and pair of jeans. And she looks _so_ damn good. I'm usually good at keeping my thoughts clean and my body under control, but I've found that it's been a lot harder in the past week.

Now I'm just praying I can make it 'till Tuesday, when the the AC company's mechanic comes.

"You're a mechanic, aren't you Yusei? Why don't you just go the fix the damn AC." mumbled Aki as she fanned herself with a book that she had picked up off the table.

"I don't know anything about AC." I said plainly, glancing sideways to avoid staring at her. She sighed.

"You can construct a D-Wheel from scrap metal lying around in Satellite but you can't fix an air conditioning system? Geez..." said Aki irritably, her voice trailing off. I too sighed and began to rub my temples.

"I know your frustrated because it's hot - believe me, I am too - but please, can we not get into an argument?" I asked in exasperation. Aki cast her gaze warily at me.

"I wasn't trying to start one, but I'm sorry; I'll be good." she said, settling into the cushions of the sofa. I couldn't help but smile a little bit. Aki may be a cynic, but she can be sweet and sincere in her own fashion.

"I just wish we could cool down somehow." she continued, brushing her sweat-damp bangs out of her face. I paused and stared down at the ice in my once-full-of-water cup. Suddenly, an idea came to me.

"Well...I think I can arrange that." I said as I stood up with the cup in hand. She looked at me curiously with her head tilted slightly, but she said nothing. I approached her and the quickly dumped the ice down the back of her cami. She yelped and I took off running. I was already outside when I could hear her scream at the top of her lungs:

"YUSEI FUDO, GET YOU'RE SORRY ASS OVER HERE SO I CAN KILL YOU!"

* * *

Comments: Eh, not too shippy, but it's humorous in its own manner.

Reviews are love. So if you love me, review. If you don't love me, review anyway.


	20. YuAki & MiJack: Attachment

Theme #20: Attachment  
Couple(s): Yusei x Aki, Mikage x Jack  
POV: Third  
Language: Medium  
Maturity: Mild  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's

* * *

"We're here to see Mikage Atlas." said Yusei in seeming desperation to the desk attendant of the Neo Domino city hospital. The attendant cast her gaze suspiciously to Yusei, and then over to the woman beside him, Aki.

"Who are you and what relation do you two have to Miss Atlas?" asked the attendant before looking back at Yusei.

"I'm Aki Fudo and he's Yusei Fudo. We're her friends" replied Aki, deciding to step into the conversation.. The attendant's lip twitched.

"I can currently only allow family to see Miss Atlas." said the attendant with an acrimonious edge in her voice. Clearly, this was not the first time that she'd had to deal with people who wanted to see a patient when it was against the hospital regulations.

"But-" began Yusei before he was cut off by a deep, troubled voice behind him.

"-He's allowed to see her." said Jack plainly. The attendant narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him.

"Who are you?" asked the attendant in annoyance.

"Me? I'm Jack Atlas, the patient's husband. And I say they're allowed to see Mikage." ordered Jack, obviously frustrated and upset. The attendant's cheeks flushed in embarrassment.

"Er...Right. Go ahead then." mumbled the attendant. Jack then turned and headed toward the elevator. Yusei and Aki assumed they were to follow. Jack pressed his finger against the 'up' button and the trio stepped inside. Jack then pressed the button with the number "4" engraved on it. Almost immediately, the elevator began to ascend slowly up the shaft.

"Jack...We heard about Akeno." began Yusei gently.

"Oh?" inquired Jack, his voice devoid of all emotion.

"So...he's..." said Aki, unable to finish her statement. Jack sighed.

"Yes. He's dead." said Jack plainly. Yusei and Aki exchanged glances but said nothing. Akeno, Jack and Mikage's first child, (or first pregnancy for that matter) was born two days ago, nearly three months before his actual due date. It was only an hour ago that Yusei and Aki received a phone call from Crow, who was already at the hospital, saying that Akeno was dying. The newly wed couple then rushed to the hospital as quickly as they could.

"Jack...I'm so sorry." was all Yusei could muster up to say. Jack closed his eyes.

"It's fine. He was born prematurely. We knew he had little chance of living..." said Jack, his voice trailing off as it cracked. Yusei thought for a brief moment that for the first time, he'd see his older friend cry.

"How's Mikage handling it?" asked Aki in nearly a whisper.

"She says that she's fine. But I know she's putting on an act." replied Jack simply as the elevator opened its doors. Jack led the couple down the hallway and stopped in front of a plain, white door. He pulled out a card and slid it through the bottom of the door handle, unlocking it. Inside, both Mikage and Crow sat on the edge of the bed. Crow looked up at Yusei and Aki before giving them a sad grin.

"Hey, glad you could make it. We had to send Jack downstairs to get you though; that desk attendant is such a bitch." commented Crow. Mikage suddenly let out a quiet laugh, although, all four could tell that it was fake.

"Mikage..." said Aki, her voice trailing off. Mikage shook her head, not letting her continue.

"It's not a big deal; it really isn't. A lot of woman don't make it through their first pregnancy for whatever reason. For me, Akeno was just born too early, and he couldn't make it." said Mikage with a smile. But she quickly faltered, and her eyes soon began to fill with tears.

"A-And Jack and I can always get pregnant again. Neither of us have f-fertility problems, or anything like that," Mikage continued ", Akeno is in the past. He's dead now. Besides, h-he was only born two days ago. I-It's not like we had any attachment to him, yet."

She was crying now. Jack sat beside her and pulled her into his arms, stroking her hair. Crow got up and stood beside Yusei and Aki, whom had laced their fingers together in an almost supportive fashion. Although Akeno was not their own child, it hurt them to see the parents at loss in such pain.

"I hope this won't deter you from having children of our own." whispered Yusei to his wife. Aki shook her head.

"No. I promised you children and I won't go back on that," began Aki ", I just pray that such sorrow won't come to us."

* * *

Comments: Another sad theme. I realized today that Crow was only mentioned in the first theme, so I had to throw him in again.

Reviews are love. So if you love me, review. If you don't love me, review anyway.


	21. MiJack: Crazy

Theme #21: Crazy  
Couple(s): Mikage x Jack  
POV: Jack  
Language: Mild  
Maturity: Mild  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's

* * *

Her breathing was heavy and quick, almost to the point where it could be considered that she was hyperventilating. I thought this was perhaps because the sun's intensity was beaming through the windows of my flat, making her, and the room in general, very hot.

"Do you need some water?" I asked, almost idiotically as I cocked my eyebrow at her. She shook her head, but said nothing. So I shrugged it off and returned to my tea. But after a few minutes of listening to her uneven breathing, I started to feel that this had nothing to do with the heat. She almost seemed frantic and nervous, like a little mouse hiding from its approaching prey, terrified.

"Mikage...Are you alright?" I asked, examining her carefully. Whatever I said must've struck her nerve, because she immediately sat down and began to cry. I stared at her for a moment, dumbfounded. Clearly though, there was something very wrong.

"Hey...Don't cry..." I said awkwardly, unsure of what other words to say. She made no response. So I stood and approached her, leaning down in front of her so our faces were even. For a brief moment, I felt like a father talking to a hurt child.

"I don't like seeing you cry," I began bluntly and gruffly ", so please, tell me what's wrong."

Mikage paused and quickly wiped away her tears before giving me a fake smile.

"I-I'm sorry...I just lost it there for a moment..." she said before standing and trying to leave. But I grabbed her wrist and forced her to sit down again.

"No; you're going to tell me what's wrong." I ordered. She looked horrified.

"W-Well, I'm...stressed..." she stammered, her voice trailing off.

"About what?" I asked, pushing her for the details. She sighed.

"I'm not sure you would understand." she said quietly.

"I don't care. Tell me anyway."

She stared at me with a look of bewilderment, her terror apparent. Silence hung for a brief moment before she looked down shamefully at her feet.

"I...have an anxiety disorder," she confessed. ", So I occasionally get wound up and set off over, almost literally, nothing; a panic attack."

I stared at her blankly for a moment before chuckling and lifting up her chin to look me in the eyes.

"You don't have to be ashamed of the fact that you have a mental disorder." I said gently, amused that her cheeks were now a faint pink. She licked her lips nervously, but said nothing.

"Now, I don't have an anxiety disorder," I continued, feeling my lips curl into a smile ", but I think I can understand where you're coming from."

"What do you mean?" she asked, looking confused. I paused.

"I'm clinically depressed." I admitted after a moment. She blinked in surprise.

"Atlas-sama, I-" she began somberly before I cut her off.

"-There's no need for you to feel bad about it. I do understand you. I can see it in the way you act. You're ashamed. You think you're crazy, and that you'll be labeled by society, or myself, as such. But I get it. I'm the same way. We're just hormonally screwed up. That's all there is to it," I began before stopping to consider what to say next ", Will you be okay now?"

She nodded and I saw a small, precious smile come to her face. I then stood and helped her do the same. I turned to leave, but she stopped me. I quickly glanced backward to see her blushing again.

"What is it?" I asked plainly. I heard her take in a deep breath, and before I knew it, I could feel her soft, wet lips on my cheek. Now it was my own turn to blush as I watched her pull away.

"Thank you." was all she said.

* * *

Comments: My attempt to portray a panic attack and the after effects in writing. Most of you won't understand unless you've had one, or have seen someone have one.

Reviews are love. So if you love me, review. If you don't love me, review anyway.


	22. YuAki: Charm

Theme #22: Charm  
Couple(s): Yusei x Aki  
POV: Yusei  
Language: Mild  
Maturity: None  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's

* * *

She was charming in her own way.

I once told that to Jack and he laughed, disagreeing with me. He then explained that the reason I thought such was because only I would bother to notice the little things that made her so charming.

Like how her deeply-colored amber eyes sparkled after an accomplishment.

Or like how when she was nervous, she would bite her smooth, red lips so hard that I feared her teeth would draw blood.

Or the way the mere touch of her soft skin sent shivers up my spine.

Or like how her mischievous smile always made my heart skip a few beats.

Or like the way she twirled her magenta hair with a finger when she was thinking.

Uopn hearing this list, Jack stared at me in disbelief and told me that I was a fool in love. Maybe I was. But I didn't care as long as she was here with me.

"Guess what I just did." said Aki as she came in from the kitchen, her glossy eyes shimmering with a childlike excitement.

"I don't know; what?" I asked, casting her a wary glance as I looked up from the book I was reading. She straightened herself up, allowing a sly smile to come to her lips.

"I just made myself ramen _without_ burning it." she announced, looking quite proud of herself. I let out an amused chuckle.

"Is that so?" I asked. She nodded.

"You didn't forget to take the pot off the stove, did you?" I asked. She suddenly frowned, biting her lower lip slightly.

"Oh, dammit." she mumbled before heading back into the kitchen. I laughed inwardly.

She was charming in her own way.

* * *

Comments: Written because I am also a terrible cook. Although I'm hardly charming. Hm.

Reviews are love. So if you love me, review. If you don't love me, review anyway.


	23. MiJack: Drama

Theme #23: Drama  
Couple(s): Mikage x Jack.  
POV: Third  
Language: Mild  
Maturity: None  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's

* * *

The door slammed open and then shut as Jack Atlas stormed into the twins' mansion, where Yusei currently resided. Yusei didn't bother to look up from the book he was reading, much less truly concern himself over his friend's nasty temper.

"Stressed?" inquired Yusei casually from the sofa, licking his finger and turning a page in his book.

"A little." laughed Jack with a bitter edge in his voice.

"Do tell." said Yusei thoughtlessly.

"Not until you put down that damn book down and give me your full attention." ordered Jack. Yusei sighed and set the book down on the table after marking his page.

"What's going on?" asked Yusei as he folded his arms expectantly. Jack fell in a heap onto the chair across from Yusei, and mimicked his gesture of folding his arms.

"Well, I don't even know where to start." said Jack plainly.

"How about the beginning?" suggested Yusei smartly. Jack glared at him.

"Shut-up asshole, I'm having a crisis here." he snapped. Yusei realized that perhaps this was no laughing matter.

"Okay, then just cut to the chase." said Yusei, starting to show concern for the blond duelist. Jack sighed and started rubbing his temples.

"I...I kissed Mikage." he finally admitted. Yusei stared at Jack blankly for a moment.

"That's...it?" began Yusei in disbelief ", You actually had me thinking that this was something really important. You're way more melodramatic than I thought."

"How is this not important? Yusei, I had no idea what I was thinking or doing - I just kissed her out of the blue. And she kissed _back_. Now what the hell am I supposed to do?" asked Jack in exasperation.

"Start a relationship and see how long it lasts. Who knows, maybe you'll end up marrying her." said Yusei bluntly. Jack looked at Yusei with an expression of horror.

"Yusei, she's my _secretary_." said Jack incredulously. Yusei shrugged.

"So? She's a very attractive woman; not to mention intelligent. It's no surprise that you're in love with her." said Yusei simply. Jack nearly fell over.

"Love?!" he exclaimed after recomposing himself. Yusei nodded.

"Yeah, you generally kiss someone when you love them." explained Yusei. Jack looked somewhat nervous now, which surprised Yusei slightly; Jack was usually either very calm or very angry. But nervous? No.

"Isn't love...kind of a strong word?" said Jack uneasily.

"Yes; but there are different types and levels of love." said Yusei simply. Jack sighed and stretched his arms forward slightly.

"I should've known better than to come and ask you for advice." sighed Jack.

"You're right; I don't know what I'm talking about at all. In fact, you should just go talk to Mikage. I'm sure she has a few ideas in mind about what you two should do." said Yusei with a slight smirk. Jack grimaced but stood and left to perhaps go find advice elsewhere, or as Yusei suggested, to go resolve his romantic issues with Mikage.

"What an idiot." mumbled Aki from behind Yusei. The raven-haired Satellite didn't even bother to question the woman how she knew about the contents of the conversation because he already knew; eavesdropping.

"I think drama king is a more appropriate term." mused Yusei with a small chuckle.

* * *

Comments: Lol, drama king. I've decided that's Jack's new nickname.

Reviews are love. So if you love me, review. If you don't love me, review anyway.


	24. YuAki & MiJack: Evidence

Theme #24: Evidence  
Couple(s): Yusei x Aki, Mikage x Jack.  
POV: Third  
Language: Medium  
Maturity: Mild  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's

* * *

"It's hot," said Jack plainly, wiping the sweat off of his forehead as the sun beat down on him and the rest of the gathered persons. Aki rolled her eyes.

"Quit your bitching and paint," she growled at the older man. She, Jack, Yusei, Crow, the twins, and Mikage had all agreed to help Martha repaint the orphanage in Satellite. Yet, the building was not to remain a bland tan color, but rather an array of all the colors to represent the dreams they all were looking to achieve. It was Yusei's idea, of course. Martha chuckled and stood up.

"Well, I can make some lemonade to cool everyone down," she said before heading inside. Once gone, Aki dipped her hands into the pink paint she was using and stood. Yusei's and Crow's eyes focused on her, both knowing that she was probably up to no good. Yet, neither decided to stop it since they knew whatever was to come would be amusing.

Aki snuck up behind Jack, and without warning, dug her pink paint-drenched into his blonde hair, kneading it as if it were cookie dough. Now everyone was watching, either with an expression of horror or anticipation. Jack froze and Aki let out an amused, almost malicious chuckle. Jack paused and brought his hand up to his hair, swiping a bit of the pink paint off of it to examine.

"Aki. . .Why did you paint my hair pink?" said Jack through gritted teeth, obviously trying to control his temper. Aki smirked.

"Because I hate you Jack," she began, working to contain her laughter. "Besides, pink suits you."

Jack suddenly dipped his hand into his own paint, a medium purple, and wiped it across her face. Aki looked unsure of how to react at first, but she finally picked up her own can of paint and quickly splashed some of it across his chest. The woman then took of running with the can, Jack following with his own. Everyone else in the group remained silent for a moment before Mikage cleared her throat.

"Should we. . .stop them?" she asked quietly. Yusei shook his head.

"Not unless you'd like to be covered in pink and purple paint," he replied. And so everyone returned to their painting job. It was only a few minutes later that Jack and Aki returned; Jack being completely pink and Aki being completely purple, with the exception of her breasts. Jack knew if he dared to try and color the area, Yusei would certainly murder him. Mikage suppressed a giggle upon seeing the former king being completely drenced in the paint.

"Atlas-sama. . .You look, very. . .pink." She laughed, unable to contain it any longer. Jack smirked.

"Do I?" he inquired in a humorous tone. Mikage nodded.

"Well. . .So do you!" he said before quickly sweeping her up into a hug, rubbing some of the still-wet pink paint on her. Mikage let out a yelp of surprise and struggled to escape, though her strength was no match for his. The others watched the pair in disbelief, having never seen the secretary and superior so intimately friendly to one another before.

The two fell down in a heap, trying to catch their breath. Mikage sat up, examining herself and her pink-ness while Jack rested his head against the wall, his eyes closed.

"Jack. . .You're going to give _us _away!" said Mikage after a moment, still smiling. Jack opened one eyelid to examine the older woman.

"Don't worry, love. We'll be just fine," he said, pecking her on the lips once everyone had returned to their attention to their work. At the same time, Aki sat down beside Yusei with a tired sigh.

"You look good in purple." commented Yusei plainly as a small smile came to his lips.

"Why, thank you dear." said Aki, sneaking him a quick kiss on the cheek after making sure no one was watching them. Like Mikage and Jack, they too had yet to share with the others that they were dating. It seemed easier to do such, and it would assure them more safety from the media with Yusei being the current king and Jack being the former. It was at that moment that Martha came outside with a pitcher of lemonade. She froze upon seeing the scene, at fist unsure of what to do or say. But she finally just laughed.

"What's so funny?" asked Rua innocently, confused by the woman's reaction. Martha paused to explain.

"Well, I had a feelin' that there was something goin' on between Yusei and Aki, and likewise, Mikage and Jack for awhile now. . .But now I'm quite sure of it!" Martha laughed again. The said couples blushed, having realized their fatal flaw. Jack had left some of the bright, pink paint on Mikage's lips while Aki had left a purple kiss mark on Yusei's cheek.

Everyone joined in on Martha's laughter, realizing what she meant. The guilty four just smiled sheepishly at each other, knowing none of them could deny it since the evidence was, quite literally, on their faces.

* * *

Comments: Wow, this one is actually long. I wanted to write something really lighthearted, something that included the characters just enjoying themselves.

Reviews are love. So if you love me, you'll review. If you don't love me, review anyway.


	25. YuAki: Tradition

Theme #25: Tradition  
Couple(s): Yusei x Aki.  
POV: Yusei  
Language: Mild  
Maturity: None  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's

* * *

"Wait, _what_? Could you repeat that?" I asked, staring at the the blue-haired woman in front of me incredulously. She smiled at me patiently as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, preparing to explain the situation to me again.

"It is a tradition on New Year's eve to kiss the one you love once the clock strikes midnight," she said with a small twinkle in her eye. Although Mikage remained very professional in all her doings, it was quite obvious that she was a romantic.

"And why are you telling me this?" I gawked. She smiled again, although this one was rather mischevious, an emotion I had never seen in the older woman before.

"I think you know," she said, making a slight gesture toward Aki, whom was speaking with, or rather, arguing with Jack. We were all attending a festival hosted by the Public Safety Maintenance Bureau (Who knew Godwin was into this sort of thing?) in celebration of the new year.

I felt heat rise to my cheeks and I coughed awkwardly.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I said plainly. She chuckled to herself quietly.

"I'm not completely hopeless, Yusei; I can tell you're attracted to Aki-san. And. . .Well, I don't know, I just think tonight would be a good opportunity to make your move, what with all the fireworks and bright lights. . ." she explained, her voice trailing off slightly.

What did I say; a complete romantic.

Aki finally got frustrated with Jack enough to come storming down to me. Then, without warning, she grabbed on to my arm and started dragging me away.

"Let's go," she hissed. I looked up to see Mikage smile and mouth me a "good luck" before joining Jack. I then returned my gaze to Aki, who still looked clearly pissed about something.

"What's got you so ticked?" I finally asked.

"Oh, nothing really. Jack's just a completely ignorant, hypocritical asshole," she growled through hissed teeth.

"You just realized this?" I said jokingly, almost immediately regretting. Aki was already in a bad mood, and I wasn't looking to make it any worse. Yet, Aki found the humour in this, and laughed.

"Sorry," she apologized, releasing the grip on my arm and smiling. I nodded to her curtly as if to say that everything was fine. We walked alongside each other for a few minutes in silence, listening to music that was playing far off in the distance. . .

"How long is it until midnight?" I asked suddenly. Aki pulled back the sleeve of her Kimono slightly, checking her watch.

"About ten minutes." she replied plainly.

"Hm."

Mikage was right in saying that I was attracted to Aki; I was, very much so. But who wouldn't be? She had lively, deeply-colored amber eyes, full, red lips, soft, pale skin, and curves in all the right places. But she was much more than just a beautiful woman; she was never dull for a moment, sweet when she wanted to be, kind, considerate, sassy.

Why, any man would desire to have her, to love her. I was one lucky bastard for even knowing her. To have the opportunity to kiss her would be nothing short of amazing. So, I was seriously considering Mikage's suggestion of kissing Aki when the clock struck Midnight.

"I'm starting to feel slightly clausterphobic." commented Aki as we started pushing through the crowds.

"Want to go somewhere else? Somewhere where there are less people?" I suggested, starting to feel that I was being too obvious.

"Yes." said Aki bluntly as she rejoined me at my side. I smiled and lead her away from the bustle of the festival, up to a cliff overlooking the whole area.

"Finally, some peace and quiet." Aki sighed, sitting down in the tall grass. I followed.

"How much longer now?" I worried that perhaps I was irritating her with me constantly asking what time it was, but she seemed unfazed as she checked her watch again.

"Two minutes."

Two minutes until I kissed her. Two minutes until I either ruined our relationship, or changed it completely. I could feel my palms start to sweat slightly, and I noticed a change in the rate of my heartbeat. I looked to the sky, knowing that the release of the fireworks would be my cue.

"What's your New Year's resolution? asked Aki suddenly. I blinked and cast my gaze over at her warily.

"I don't know. . ." I replied truthfully.

"Me neither. I was actually hoping you'd have a New Year's resolution that would inspire me to make up my own," she said with a shrug. I cocked my eyebrow at her inquisitively.

"Why?" I inquired. Aki paused.

"Well. . .Isn't it like a tradition to make new goals for the next year of New Year's eve?" she asked. There was suddenly a bright explosion of light in the air, a firework having gone off. I swallowed. Here was my moment.

"Yeah, but I know a better tradition," I said before quickly pressing my lips to hers, terrified of what her reaction would be. I was both thrilled and relieved when she kissed back.

The flurry of fireworks ended and we pulled away from each other, slowly. I opened my eyelids slightly to examine her, her lips still slightly parted from our kiss. She smiled.

"I like your tradition much better."

* * *

Comments: Wow, 100 reviews exactly, thank you so much guys! And I know, I know. . .New Year's was like months ago.

Reviews are love. So if you love me, review. If you don't love me, review anyway.


	26. MiJack: Celebration

Theme #26: Celebration  
Couple(s): Mikage x Jack  
POV: Jack  
Language: Medium  
Maturity: Medium  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's

* * *

"You're up late," I commented plainly as my wife descended down the stairs of our apartment. She smiled apologetically as she sat across from me at the table, tilting her head down shyly.

"I'm sorry," she began quietly, her eyes filled with a sort of anxiety that seemed to affect me as well. I think it was Yusei who told me that when you marry someone, your own emotions and concerns become tied with theirs. At first, I thought it was some of his usual bullshit about love and friendship. But after nearly six months of being married to the woman across from me, I was starting to believe it was true.

"Hn," I grunted, examining the coppery-colored tea in front of me as I sifted through my mind for a possible response. It was in my wife's nature to force any blame upon herself in all of our social encounters. It was sort of expected of her from our first relationship as her superior. And such was acceptable. However, it was almost starting to put a wall between us as a married couple.

"Don't apologize. I wasn't trying to make you feel guilty," I said finally looking up at her. She nodded in understanding and cast her gaze sadly at the floor. Her somber expression tapped into the full capacity of my concern, making me wonder if there was something else that was bothering her. I sighed and set my teacup down, folding my arms.

"What's wrong?" I asked bluntly. She paused and took in a deep breath.

"Well. . .I suppose you could say I was late in getting up because of some. . .Morning sickness," she finally admitted with a sheepish smile. I felt my mouth suddenly go dry, my mind, blank. Had I heard her right? Wasn't morning sickness associated with. . .? I shook my head in an attempt to bring it clarity of thought. She couldn't be. . .We had agreed to wait for a couple of years for children, until both of us were ready. And we had used every form of protection, so how could she be? How could she. . .?

I licked my lips nervously to bring back its moisture, feeling my stomach churn uneasily at the thoughts that swirled inside my mind.

"So. . .You're. . .?" I asked weakly, unable to finish my sentence. She hesitantly rose her eyes up to mine to. I held my breath in anticipation for the inevitable words she was to say.

"I'm pregnant."

I exhaled slowly, closing my eyes. There, she had said it. It was over with. Now I had 9 months of hell to go through with Mikage, plus an additional 18 years of raising a kid. I was to be thrown ruthlessly into fatherhood. . .I was to be a. . .father?

My eyes flew open. A father?!

I suddenly felt an overwhelming feeling of excitement, of anxiety. My heart started beating faster and I could feel my breath get caught in my throat. Mikage was pregnant, and _I_ was the father. She was pregnant, and she was carrying _my_ child. Together, we were to bring something into the world that carry a part of _me_, a part of both of us.

I could feel her gaze on me, nervously waiting for a reply. I looked up at her warily, still in a whirlpool of emotions.

"Mikage. . .I. . ."

I stood up abruptly. I could see fear flash in her eyes for a brief moment as I approached her, but I finally gave her a smile of reassurance. Then, any warning to her, I swept her up in my arms and kissed her deeply on the lips. I could tell she was surprised, perhaps even frightened, but her lips soon melted against mine, returning my kiss. I felt a shiver of excitement run through my body at her warm contact, passion pumping through my veins.

We pulled away together, and embraced. She buried her face in my chest, her breathing calm and even. I smiled inwardly and rested my head on top of hers, simply enjoying her presence.

It had been a long time since we had ever been so affectionately intimate.

"I say we celebrate," I whispered as I leaned down to speak into her ear. I saw her blink in confusion as she looked up at me.

"How?"

I smirked slyly, knowing exactly how to answer.

"By reenacting the night you got pregnant."

She somehow found this funny and laughed before she laid her head on my chest once again.

"Alright, that sounds like a good way to celebrate," she said with a small chuckle. I had my own internal celebration at her answer as I brought her back upstairs with me to our bedroom and shut the door.

* * *

Comments: Yay for non-explicit sex! And I'm so happy to be back and writing again!


	27. YuAki: Cherries

Theme #27: Cherries  
Couple(s): Yusei x Aki  
POV: Yusei  
Language: None  
Maturity: Medium  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's

* * *

"Hey," said Aki casually as she climbed over the back of the couch with a bowl of cherries in hand. I nodded to her in acknowledgement of her presence, but said nothing. She settled herself beside me and placed the bowl of the ripened fruit on the table in front of us.

"It's almost lunch, but I didn't feel like setting the stove on fire today, so. . .I decided just some cherries would be good. Besides, it's my favorite fruit." said Aki, plopping one of the the little red fruits into her mouth. I chuckled slightly at her comment; Aki was most definitely not the best cook. It was usually either young Ruka or Mikage that would prepare meals for us, but nearly everyone was elsewhere in the city this morning. Aki and I were the only people left in the mansion.

"It's fine. Cherries are my favorite fruit, too." I said simply, reaching over and grabbing a small handful. Aki cocked her eyebrow at inquisitively as she ate another cherry.

"Really? You don't seem to be a cherry person." she remarked.

"I didn't know there were fruit stereotypes." I said with a small laugh as I also ate a cherry. Of all the people in the world, Aki was one of the very few people that could make me laugh. Perhaps it was because she had one of the most interesting personalities ever, or maybe it was just because I felt so at ease when I was with her.

"Oh, shut-up." she said, rolling her eyes. And so, a silence fell between us, though it wasn't awkward. Aki and I both tended to be quiet people, so such was rather normal for us. After a few minutes, Aki fell back against the arm of the sofa, stretching out her legs and plopping another cherry into her mouth.

"Did you know that you're a good kisser if you can tie a cherry stem into a knot with your tongue?" she asked suddenly. I blinked and cast my gaze warily at her.

"I've heard that somewhere before; but it's just an urban myth," I said plainly

"You think?" She asked as picked out another cherry from the bowl. I nodded. She smirked and quickly ate the red fruit, leaving just the stem. Then, with great ease I might add, she tied the thin, brown stem into a tight knot. I could feel myself gawking at her, yet I couldn't bring myself to say anything.

"Impressed?" asked Aki, waving the knotted stem tauntingly in my face.

"Mildly."

Aki smirked again and tossed the stem aside.

"So, what makes you think it's an urban myth?" she asked, sitting up. I shrugged.

"I don't know. . .There just doesn't seem to be any proof behind it. No scientific facts. . .I mean, has anyone actually tested whether its true?"

Aki stared at me blankly for a moment before chuckling and leaning towards me. I swallowed, noticing how dangerously close she was to me.

"That's just like you, isn't it? Always looking for the facts. . .I guess nothing less would be expected of a scientist's son though," she said with a look of mischief upon her face, making me feel nervous. She was setting up a trap, and I was being pulled in; yet, I just couldn't bring myself to try and escape.

"Y-Yeah." I stammered, unable to think of anything else to say.

"Well then, why don't you be the first to test it?" she asked slyly. I felt my cheeks heat up intensely at her proposition, unsure if I had understood her correctly. But before I could question her, she pressed her lips against my own. My eyes widened in disbelief, trying to wrap my mind around the fact that Aki Izayoi, my fellow Signer and closest female friend, was actually _kissing_ me.

I couldn't help but kiss her back though as she pushed my down on my back, deepening our kiss, our first kiss together at that. After a moment, she pulled away from me, though the faint taste of her sweet cherries were still on my lips.

She smirked for the unempth time as she sat up, her legs spread apart over my lower abdomen. I silently thanked God that she was wearing jeans since I might have not been able to contain myself had she been in a skirt.

"So?" she inquired, folding her arms expectantly. I subconsciously touched my lips, still in awe at what had just happened.

"Yeah, I'd say you're a good kisser."

* * *

Comments: I hope this doesn't epically fail. I'm trying to put more description into my kisses, into my writing in general.

Reviews are love. So if you love me, review. If you don't love me, review anyway.


	28. YuAki & MiJack: Jealousy

Theme #28: Jealousy  
Couple(s): Yusei x Aki, Mikage x Jack.  
POV: Third  
Language: Medium  
Maturity: Medium  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's

* * *

"Her name was Charolette Higurashi," said Yusei plainly, sitting back against the cushions on the sofa, sipping his cup of water contently. His opened one eyelid casually, examining his three present friends; Jack, who was gawking slightly, and Aki and Mikage, who were both watching him intently.

"You liar. No way in _hell _your first kiss was with Charolette; she was way out of your league. The only pretty thing in Satellite back then," spat Jack, crossing his arms in doubt. This comment alone made Aki look slightly jealous that Yusei was apparently once with a beautiful Satellite girl.

"Back then?" she mumbled bitterly, lowring her head slightly as if she were pouting.

"She later became a prostitute," explained Jack briefly with an amused smirk on his face, noticing Aki's sour reaction. The young woman immediately lightened up, letting out an inaudible sigh. Yusei furrowed his brow slightly at Jack, irritated that he had accused him of being a liar.

"I am not lying; I kissed her out by the old swing-sets at the orphanage when we were 14-years old." described Yusei, straightening himself up. "But enough about me; what about you Aki?"

Aki, having gotten over her bout a jealousy, had regained her normal attitude.

"Who do you think?" she asked, rolling her eyes. Yusei let out an exasperated sigh.

"Divine."

"Bingo."

Yusei pursed his lips slightly, looking a bit jealous himself. Mikage, in an attempt to break the awkward tension that hung over the room by ending the conversation itself, stood up with a small smile on her face.

"Well, while this has all been good and interesting, I think-" but before she could finish, Jack cut her off, mistaking that she actually wanted to get out of sharing her experience with them.

"-You know, you're not getting out of it either," said Jack gruffly, cocking his eyebrow at her slightly. Mikage's cheeks flushed pink as she shook her head.

"I believe you misunderstood-"

"-I'd actually like to know who your first kiss was, too," Aki cut in. Mikage's blush deepened.

"His name was Micki; my first boyfriend." she answered, making sure not to go into further details.

"First?" inquired Jack, trying to hide his mild surprise.

"Well, there were several after him. . ."

"How many?" he asked, nearly starting to interrogate her. Yusei and Aki exchanged quick, amused glances, both knowing that the very unemotional Jack Atlas was now going to start to show his own side of jealousy and possessiveness. Mikage paused and quietly counted her fingers, not realizing how uncomfortable the blond duelist was becoming.

"Eight." she answered finally.

"Geez, I'd like to know how many of them you slept with." teased Aki, now only trying piss off Jack. Jack tightened his knuckles as Mikage's face turned beet red.

"All of them. . ." she squeaked quietly, also realizing how discontent Jack was looking. Aki suddenly burst out laughing at Jack's expression of horror. Mikage breathed and tried to compose.

"I won't deny it; I was young and stupid, and a bit of a slut." added Mikage, fidgiting with the end of her skirt slightly.

"A bit?" growled Jack.

"Very much." corrected Mikage. After Aki finished laughing, she found the kinder side in herself, deciding to give Mikage some redeeming value.

"Oh, don't look so sour Jack. I'd like to know how many woman _you've _slept with." said Aki with a smirk. Although he didn't blush, Jack was clearly embarrassed, and didn't respond. Yusei allowed himself to smile a bit. Though he wasn't quite sure about exposing poor Jack and Mikage's intimate lives, he couldn't help but find enjoyment in the whole situation.

"Not talking? Alright Mikage, back when you were his secretary, do you have an idea about how many woman he took home at night?" asked Aki. Mikage paused and considered her answer for a brief moment.

"About 13." she answered finally. Yusei held back a chuckle and Aki just smirked.

"That's so cute. You're both whores. You're perfect for each other." she said after a moment. Mikage blushed once again, and even Jack looked a little pink. Aki shook her head, smiling, and stood up.

"Well, while this really has been the most interesting conversation I've had in a long time, Yusei and I should probably go and leave you two to sleep with each other, because that's apparently what you do best." said Aki, not bothering to watch their reactions as she pulled Yusei out of the apartment. Once outside, Yusei turned to her with one of his rare smiles.

"Although I'm not sure about your tricks, even I have to admit that was _brilliant_. I've never seen Jack squirm so much." chuckled Yusei. Aki returned his smile.

"Yeah, well, I had never seen _you _squirm so much either after I mentioned Divine. What, are you jealous?" said Aki slyly, before turning sharply and heading down the hallway, her heels clicking against the tile.

Yusei stared at her with his mouth slightly agape, swallowing and smiling sheepishly at her, knowing her accusation was true.

"Coming?" asked Aki, turning back and smiling at him. Yusei nodded and quickly caught up to her, thinking to himself that he was damn lucky to have her by his side now, instead of Divine's.

* * *

Comments: Very light-hearted. And so sexy. (Pun intended.)

Reviews are love. So if you love me, review. if you don't love me, review anyway.


	29. MiJack: Details

Theme #29: Details  
Couple(s): Mikage x Jack.  
POV: Jack  
Language: None  
Maturity: None  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's

* * *

She always paid attention to the details. To the little things that nobody else seemed to notice. Including myself; it wasn't until she pointed them out that I actually realized they even existed. Like how the sunshine poured through the veins of a leaf, changing it's normally dark color into an illustrious green. Or how the white, cirrus clouds would cast patches of shadows over the city, which could only be fully viewed from the harbour of Satellite. And she didn't even seem to realize she was saying anything about it. It was like she was speaking directly from her thoughts.

What fascinated me though was how she never pointed out the bad, or the ugly. She only noticed the good. She was drawn to the beautiful things, to everything they had to offer. And it drew me to her.

For the first time, I actually enjoyed her presence. She was no longer a nuisance thrust onto me by the director, which was what I originally viewed her as. I now recognized her as a beautiful woman with an unbreakable sense of optimism. It wasn't long before I was able to pick out the details in her, the beautiful things. (I laughed at the realization that she was rubbing off on me.)

She had innocent, big eyes with honey-colored irises, a perfect shade of gold. She had flawless skin, pale, not as pale as Aki's, but enough to almost give her a glow when the moon was bright and full. She had naturally pink lips, a rare sight to see in a woman as most had to wear sticky, bold shades of lipstick. She was small and curvaceous, not quite an hourglass figure, but it made no difference to me. I wasn't able to deny it, I was attracted to her. To how her smile lit up the entire room, to how she handled everything with the utmost care, to how she always spoke in gentle tones.

It wasn't until I kissed her for the first time that I realized that she also had the softest lips.

I could tell she was surprised upon my contact. Truthfully, I was too. My heart was throbbing nervously--an emotion I hadn't felt in years--shocked that I had even taken the initiative. What was I doing?! I had never given her any indication of my feelings, always hiding it behind a stoic expression, a personality of indifference. Which was probably why I was completely caught off guard when she kissed me back. I quickly recovered however, thrilled at the possibility that she loved me too. I cupped her cheek, reassuring her of my feelings, and that I was scared too.

We finally pulled apart, not hesitating to embrace. I rested my face in the crook of her neck, inhaling her sweet, vanilla scent while she nuzzled into my chest.

"What took you so long?" she finally asked, her voice slightly muffled by my jacket. I chuckled to myself quietly, kissing her neck and tightening my grip around her slender waist.

"I'm sorry. I was too busy looking at the big picture for too long."

* * *

Comments: I was feeling kind of romantic. . .And wordy. Ha. Ha ha. Ha aha ha.

Jokes aside, because love is (or should be) something subtle between two people. Something you could only notice if you paid attention, if you noticed the details. People nowadays parade their love around as if were some sort of circus; and it's all for popularity, wealth, etc.

Reviews are love. So if you love me, review. If you don't love me, review anyway,


	30. YuAki: Trapped

Theme #30: Trapped  
Couple(s): Yusei x Aki  
POV: Third  
Language: Mild  
Maturity: None  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's

* * *

"Damn, it's hot in here," mumbled Aki, tugging on the collar of her shirt in an attempt to fan her chest and neck, where small beads of sweat were starting to form. Even in the dark, Aki could see Jack smirk mischievously.

"Why thank you," said Jack smugly, only saying this to irritate the younger woman. Aki shot an intense glare at him, leaving her cooling ritual to fold her arms disapprovingly.

"You bastard, we're going to suffocate inside this closet, and you're cracking stupid jokes," she hissed. Jack rolled his eyes, and lifted his hand to wipe his salty, wet forehead dry.

"You're being over-dramatic. We're not going to die," he said plainly, leaning back against the barren wall. Aki's harsh expression didn't falter.

"Shut-up," snapped Aki, snarling her teeth like a wild animal. "This is your fault. If you didn't want to talk to me alone--If you weren't so damn protective over Yusei-"

"-I'm doing this for his own good," Jack cut off, his normally nonchalant demeanor starting to also grow angry.

"I love him! And he feels the same way!" said Aki, her voice growing louder as he spoke. Jack narrowed his eyes at her with the utmost disdain.

"You _think_ you love him. He _thinks_ he loves you," said Jack coldly.

"We don't think, we _know,_" spat Aki. Jack clenched his fists, gritting his teeth.

"You've nearly killed him twice. And, you're still potentially dangerous. I know you don't intend to hurt him, but you do; and everyone knows it. We can see the bruises, the cuts-" began Jack before Aki cut him off.

"Just shut the hell up!" she screamed, burying her head between her legs as she clenched the roots of her hair with her hands. "You don't think I feel like shit for hurting him? You don't think I pray everyday that these wretched powers would go away so I could stop? Believe me, Jack, I've tried to leave Yusei for his own good too; because I do love him, and I don't want to hurt him. But he himself told me that it hurts him a thousand times more to be away from me. And so we're still together because that's when we're happiest, and that's where we hurt the _least_. Yet, here you are, claiming that you're trying to help Yusei by making me break up with him? But in reality, you're actually making it worse!"

Aki was sobbing now, hot tears of shame and grief falling from her amber eyes and onto to the old, dusty carpet. Jack sat there in silence, listening the broken woman's heart-wrenching cries as she gasped for breath between her sobs. He shut his eyes, allowing a rare sigh of guilt to pass his lips.

"I-I feel l-like shit everyday-" stammered Aki, starting to babble slightly in her unstable state.

"No, I should be the one who feels like shit." interrupted Jack suddenly. Aki paused and looked up at the blond duelist, her eyes swollen and bloodshot from her crying fit. "It wasn't right of me to try and intervene with your relationship with Yusei. And for that, I'm sorry."

Jack then did something Aki would've never expected him to do; he hugged her. Not in the kind of romantic way that said "I love you", but almost a plea for forgiveness. The edges around Aki's irises softened before she gently returned his hug, finding comfort in the fact that for once she and the other man were actually making amends.

"I guess this would be a good time to tell you that Yusei and I are actually getting married." said Aki with a tender smile. Jack smirked.

"I guess this would be a good time to tell you that the door was unlocked the entire time." he replied.

"You ass."

* * *

Comments: Eh, it focuses more on the relationship between Jack and Aki, but I've wanted to do something like this for awhile. They are very bicker-worthy pair.

Reviews are love. So if you love me, review. I f you don't love me, review anyway.


	31. MiJack: Children

Theme #31: Children  
Couple(s): Mikage x Jack.  
POV: Jack  
Language: None  
Maturity: Mild  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's

* * *

I once asked Yusei how you know when you want to marry someone. He remained silent for a moment, thinking about his reply as he usually did. If there was one thing I liked about Yusei, it was how he carefully choose his words for an answer. He always mentally analyzed questions, considering every detail, every option. After a moment, he replied his uniformly stoic expression:

"When you want to have children with them."

His answer frustrated me. I didn't like kids. I didn't want kids. The only children I ever managed to like was Rua and Ruka, and even they get on my nerves. So I told Yusei just that: That I most definitely did not want to be a "daddy". But he just shrugged nonchalantly and said that it didn't matter; you marry someone when you want to have children with them.

But after nearly two years of dating Mikage, I felt that there was nothing we could do to further our relationship other than marriage. I never considered myself to be the type to ever settle down; but I could tell she was getting impatient. She always dropped hints, some more obvious than others, that she wanted to marry me.

While I was hesitant about the whole idea, I loved her, so I was willing to give the process a chance of attention. Which is why I went to Yusei. But if children were going to be involved. . .Then I wanted no part of it.

The toddler laughed as Mikage swept him up off his feet, tickling his nose with the tip of her finger, causing the young boy to laugh. We were visiting my foster mother, Martha, who happened to run an orphanage in Satellite. It always had been one of Mikage's favorite places to go, so I often took her there. Not only that, but I felt that all the time she spent with the orphans would appease her as far as having children goes.

Martha came into the room, casting a quick glance toward Mikage before sitting beside me.

"Your girl seems to like children an awful lot," she commented plainly, resting her chin lazily on the palm of her hand as she examined her from across the room. I grunted in response. She smiled knowingly and lifted her head up, making direct eye contact with me.

"Do you know what means?" she asked, her smile curling into a mischievous smirk. I rolled my eyes.

"What?" I asked in exasperation.

"It means she wants kids," explained Martha briefly before looking back over at Mikage, who now had the little boy on her lap. I sighed, but didn't reply. I knew where this conversation was going, and I wasn't exactly thrilled about it. Martha cocked her eyebrow at me suspiciously, studying me.

"When will you marry her?" she asked bluntly. My lip twitched. It certainly didn't take her long to get to the main point.

"Yusei said you marry someone when you want to have kids with them. I don't want kids. I hate kids," I replied gruffly.

"Well, Yusei's right 'bout that. But I don't think you should be so close-minded. I do actually think you'd make a good father. And Mikage would certainly make a good mother," said Martha, quickly glancing at the said woman before returning her attention to me. "Besides, Mikage's quite the catch. And I'll tell you one thing, boy, she ain't gonna wait forever, even if she does love you. Woman like her who want a family can't wait forever. She's older than you, Jack, so her ability to conceive is fading faster than you think."

"She's only 25."

"An' it can get awfully hard to get pregnant as early as 30. Point is, if you ever wanna marry this woman, you better hurry up," said Martha before standing up and looking away. "I gotta finish making lunch for the munchkins."

She left without another word. I stared at where she disappeared for a moment before sighing and standing up, going over to where Mikage and the toddler were.

"Oh, look who's decided to join us, Taro," said Mikage, nuzzling the boy's cheek slightly before letting him down to stand on his own two feet. Even I had to admit that Mikage's interaction with Taro was nothing short of adorable. Which was kind of funny actually, since I never thought of anything as adorable.

"Now go over to Jack," said Mikage, placing her hands on Taro's shoulders to help him stand straight. As much as I didn't care to do it, I bent down the toddler's level, waiting for him to come. Besides, if it would make Mikage happy. . .

Taro stumbled forward as Mikage let go of him. The boy regained his balance, however, and held out his arms as he slowly made his way toward me. I waited patiently. After a few long moments, Taro finally made it to me, his tiny hands clutching my shirt. By instinct, I picked the boy up and simply held him as he giggled madly. Mikage stood beside me and latched onto my arm, sighing and resting her head against my shoulder.

Suddenly, it seemed that I had entered into a different reality. I felt as though it wasn't my girlfriend snuggling up to me, but my wife. I felt as though the toddler I held in my arms was actually our own child. I felt as though I was actually a father, and that I had a family. It was undoubtedly the weirdest, yet the most warm feeling I had ever had in my entire life.

Mikage trailed her fingers up arm, her gentle touch causing me to shiver in my sensitive state. Adrenaline, in all its glorious electricity, was pumping through my veins more than it ever had. I cast my gaze over to the blue-haired woman, her face plastered with a lazy, yet content smile. An suddenly, I was overcome with the odd desire to marry her, to have children with her. I laughed inwardly, realizing that Yusei was, as usual, right.

"I want kids," she said plainly after a moment. I smiled and tenderly kissed her forehead, lingering slightly before pulling away.

"I know. And I'll give them to you."

* * *

Comments: The main purpose of marriage is for children. And I can't believe that my stories actually have a moral. XD

Reviews are love. So if you love me, review. If you don't love me, review anyway.


	32. YuAki & MiJack: First

Theme #32: First  
Couple(s): Yusei x Aki, Mikage x Jack.  
POV: Third  
Language: None  
Maturity: Mild  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's.

* * *

"Stop fidgeting, Aki," ordered Mikage calmly as she pulled back the younger woman's thick, magenta hair in an attempt to style it. Aki sighed and sat up straight in order to appease her.

"Sorry, I'll behave well," mumbled Aki as she crossed arms, pouting like a child. Jack, whom was sitting on a sofa across the room from the two ladies, let out a sudden, amused chuckle.

"You? Behave well? That'll be the day," said Jack with a smirk as he stirred his tea idly. Aki shot him a glare.

"You know, the prospect of going on my first date with Yusei tonight really has my adrenaline and hormonal levels on high; so you might want to watch yourself or I may hurt you very, very badly," hissed Aki through gritted teeth, clearly irritated with the blonde duelist. Mikage rolled her eyes and let out a sigh of exasperation, knowing that soon the two would once again enter the world of petty insults and meaningless threats.

"So much for behaving well," she mumbled under her breath as she watched Jack and Aki glare at one another.

"Ooh, I'm so scared; I don't want you to hurt me _very, very badly_." said Jack in a girlish voice, mocking the other female duelist.

"You do realize I have the ability to bash your skull in with my powers, right?" retorted Aki. Jack opened his mouth to reply before Mikage cut him off.

"Quit it, both of you," growled Mikage, finally having heard enough. "I can't focus with you two bickering like this."

Both Jack and Aki immediately settled down, knowing that Mikage was serious since she was rarely ever grew angry. Mikage exhaled slightly, calming herself down before beginning to brush through Aki's hair with a comb. The room remained silent for a few minutes as Aki twiddled her thumbs nervously and Mikage continued to play with Aki's hair, all while Jack examined them from afar. Finally, he cleared his throat to speak.

"I don't get why you two are making such a big deal out of this whole thing. . .I mean, this is just Yusei we're talking about. I can't imagine dating Yusei would be any different then simply spending the evening with him." remarked Jack, resting his chin lazily on th palm of his hand after setting down his cup of tea. Aki said nothing for a brief moment before taking in a deep breath to reply.

"Well. . .It's just. . .different. Yusei and I are both stepping into foreign territory. I mean, we've never really dated anyone before," explained Aki simply.

"What about Divine?" asked Mikage suddenly. Aki shrugged.

"Divine and I didn't date. We had sex and that's about it. But I don't want that for Yusei and I." Jack and Mikage remained silent before Jack's head perked up slightly as he glanced over at Aki.

"Wait. . .Do you mean to tell me that this is your first date _ever_?" asked Jack, cocking his eyebrow at her inquisitively. Aki rolled her eyes.

"I thought we already established this," she replied plainly. Jack shook his head.

"No, we established that this was your first date _with Yusei_," corrected Jack. Aki huffed and crossed her legs, looking irritated once again.

"Well, whatever," she said, trying hard to not lose her temper again. Mikage smiled tenderly as she pulled out a black ribbon and began to tie up Aki's hair.

"If it's any consolation Aki, a plain first date is just as nerve-wracking as a first date with someone new. You know, I was really nervous throughout my first date with Jack, and I had been out with plenty of other men." Jack looked slightly jealous at Mikage's comment of "plenty of other men", but he decided to not pursue the subject.

"Really?" asked Aki, her eyes widening slightly. "What did you guys do?"

Mikage let out an uneasy laugh before replying.

"We. . .Saw a horror film." Aki snorted.

"Okay, first, that doesn't count because _anyone_would be nervous on a date in which you saw a horror film. Second, what kind of first date is that?" asked Aki incredulously. Mikage shrugged and gestured for Jack to answer, who then threw his left hand up dismissively.

"Hey, I only did it because I wanted her to hold onto my arm whenever she got scared," replied Jack nonchalantly. Mikage suddenly blushed crimson, not having previously known Jack's true intentions for taking her to see such a movie.

"You jerk," she said, picking up a pillow and throwing it at him, which he caught with ease.

"Jeez, love, this is the second time you've grown angry today. Is it your time of the month?" he asked jokingly, setting the thrown pillow aside. Mikage's blush deepened, but she didn't reply as she finally finished Aki's hair.

"T-There, all done." stammered Mikage, still flustered as she handed Aki a mirror. Aki quickly examined her reflection before allowing a smile of satisfaction to grace her lips.

"Thank you, Mikage, it looks great," said Aki cheerfully, playing with the black ribbon that served as a headband in her hair. Mikage returned her smile and bowed slightly.

"Glad I could help; I hope you and Yusei have a great time tonight," replied Mikage.

"Speaking of Yusei, I need to hurry to meet him in front of the park," said Aki as she turned to leave. Mikage nodded in understanding.

"Well, don't hang around here then. It's not very classy to be late." grunted Jack. Aki sighed in exasperation as she averted her gaze from his.

"Thanks for the advice, Jack," she said as she left, her voice dripping in sarcasm. Once she was gone, Mikage turned to Jack, putting her hands on her hips and giving him a mischievous smile.

"For the record, I only held onto your arm throughout that movie because I _wanted_ to."

* * *

Comments: Based off a true story. Seriously. One of my guy friends took one of my girl friends to a horror movie just so she'd hold onto his arm. She then told us later that she only did it because she wanted to. -_-'

Reviews are love. So if you love me, review. If you don't love me, review anyway.


	33. YuAki: Family

Theme #33: Family  
Couple(s): Yusei x Aki.  
POV: Third  
Language: None  
Maturity: Mild  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's

* * *

Setsuko Izayoi let out a squeal of pure delight before hugging her daughter, Aki, and her soon-to-be-husband, Yusei, tightly. Aki blushed a deep crimson, embarrassed by her mother's antics, while Yusei remained completely nonchalant, as if he expected this sort of reaction. To Yusei, it would seem to be commonplace for a mother to gush over her child's engagement. Though, he couldn't be positive since he never really knew his own mother.

"Oh my goodness, I can't believe you're getting married!" exclaimed Setsuko happily after pulling away from the couple, beaming at them with a dazed grin on her soft face. Aki averted her gaze from her mother, still looking slightly flustered.

"Mama. . .There's no need to make a big fuss," she said quietly, her eyes still glued to the floor. Setsuko's joyous expression didn't falter, even upon hearing her daughter's low, dark voice.

"Oh, but sweetheart. . .I'm going to grandmother! You hear that Hideo? We'll be grandparents!" said Sestuko, glancing quickly at her husband before back at the engaged couple. "You will have children, won't you?"

Yusei chuckled to himself quietly as he put his arm around his fiancé in a firm grip, pulling her close to him. A barely noticeable smile graced Aki's lips as he did, resting her head gently against his shoulder. Seeing them in such a sweet, intimate state brought a smile to Hideo as well, proud that his daughter had chosen such a trustworthy, honest man to wed. He may not be the most educated, financially stable husband, but he could see from the way he looked at her that he loved her, and that he would do anything to protect her.

"Of course we will, Setsuko-san," reassured Yusei quietly before he gently pressed his lips to Aki's cheek. Setsuko exhaled in both relief and happiness, smiling at the pair once more.

"That is, with my daughter's approval, correct?" joked Hideo, though his expression showed that he was half-serious. Yusei nodded.

"I would never, unless I had her consent," clarified Yusei sincerely. Setsuko's head suddenly perked up as it tilted curiously to the left.

"Speaking of which, have you two ever. . ?" asked Setsuko giddily, her voice trailing off slightly. Aki's face immediately turned beet red, much more embarrassed than she had been before.

"Mama!" she cried in exasperation. Setsuko let out an uneasy giggle before Yusei tightened his grip around Aki in an attempt to calm her down.

"I assure you, we haven't. We agreed early on to wait," explained Yusei plainly. Hideo let out a hearty chuckle before standing and approaching Yusei from behind. Yusei's lip twitched slightly in discomfort, feeling the older man's presence looming over him, like a snake rising above its prey. It unnerved the normally calm Yusei as fear to what his fiancé's father would say to him began to poke his heart mockingly.

"That's m'boy!" said Hideo cheerfully, patting Yusei on the shoulder. Yusei was completely caught off guard as he quickly turned his head to see his soon-to-be-father-in-law, his cobalt blue irises slightly widened.

"H-Hideo-sama?" stammered Yusei, trying to recompose himself quickly in hopes of not giving away the fact that the senator had intimidated him. Him, the courageous Yusei Fudo, who took on the Dark Singers, saved the world from falling into calamity, and united the hearts of Satellite and Neo Domino, two cities where hatred for each other ran deep in their blood. In fact, the concept of Yusei fearing Aki's father was almost laughable.

"Oh Yusei, there's no need for honorifics; I'm your father now." said Hideo with a warm smile. Yusei blinked upon hearing that single term. . ."father". . .Yusei never knew his father, let alone had a father-figure. Jack was perhaps the closest thing to it, but he took on the role of an older brother. There was Dr. Schmitt, his Martha's close friend; but Yusei hardly ever saw him as a child. . .Maybe a few minutes in th early morning, if Yusei was even awake then.

Yusei felt Aki wrap her arms around his waist, pressing herself gently against him. Yusei shook his head slightly in surprise, almost having forgotten she was there in own musings. She smiled at him, her amber eyes staring into his own knowingly, realizing that what her father said to her fiance had really meant a lot to him; after all, she was well aware of his fatherless life as well. Yusei returned her smile and ruffled her hair slightly, resisting the urge to kiss her fully on the mouth since it could only bring awkward tension in the presence of her parents.

"Thank you, father," said Yusei simply, glancing up at Hideo with his rarely-shown genuine smile.

* * *

Comments: I seem to be writing about families a lot lately. I don't know why, but what the hey.

Reviews are love. So if you love me, review. If you don't love me, review anyway.


	34. MiJack: Chocolate

Theme #34: Chocolate  
Couple(s): Mikage x Jack.  
POV: Third  
Language: None  
Maturity: Mild  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's

* * *

He just stared at her, his violet eyes narrowed and his lips pursed disapprovingly. In other words, he looked purely disgusted; and Mikage didn't seem to notice as she stabbed her fork into a slice of a red tomato and ate it. Jack's upper lip twitched, but he didn't look away from her.

"Do you realize what you're eating?" he finally asked, breaking the silence between the two. Mikage stopped eating and raised her brows at the younger man, her expression a mix of disbelief and boredom.

"A _salad_?" replied Mikage with a sarcastic edge in her voice. Her treatment of the blonde duelist was normally much more tender and respectful, but she honestly didn't feel like putting up her usual act of kindness that day. Safe to say, she had probably been spending way too much time with the attitude-ridden Aki.

"No. You're eating leaves and plant ovaries," said Jack bluntly. Mikage resisted the urge to roll her eyes before she sighed.

"Mhm," mumbled Mikage as she idly twirled her fork on her plate. "Add some ranch and it tastes pretty good."

"I do not appreciate your sarcasm," growled Jack, clenching his fist slightly. He was accustomed to Mikage's meek and quiet side of her personality, but he knew full well that she had a bit of a backbone in her, even though she rarely showed it when he was present. Mikage sighed once again.

"Forgive me," she replied softly, her more sensitive personality resurfacing. Jack grunted in response, and allowed silence to fall over them. Mikage returned to her salad, quietly munching away on the veggies and leafy greens. When the lack on conversation became uncomfortable for Jack once again, he cleared his throat to speak.

"Why are you eating _that _anyway?" asked Jack, sounding as if he were speaking about honey-covered grasshoppers, or fried worms, or some other kind of nasty food that could make you gag upon thinking about it. Mikage shrugged.

"I'm on a diet," she replied plainly. Jack stared at the woman blankly, his expression deadpan. How could she be dieting? She was already thin, and it probably wouldn't healthy for her to lose anymore weight. In fact, it might of actually been better for her to _gain_ a few pounds.

"A _diet_? Mikage, you're a twig." Mikage blushed slightly upon his unintentional compliment, but shook her head dismissively. He wasn't flirting, he wasn't trying to be nice--he was just being. . .Jack. The woman closed her eyes briefly and straightened herself up, deciding to not reply. Jack watched carefully, beginning to grow impatient with her silence. He tapped his fingers idly on his knee and soon realized that she didn't intend to respond _at all_. Jack let out a frustrated sigh and rubbed his temples in irritation before a quick idea popped into his head.

"Mikage. . .How would you like some chocolate?" The blue-haired beauty immediately stopped what she doing and brought her gaze slowly up to Jack's, but continued to remain silent. There was an inkling of desire in her gold irises, an unbecoming want for that tiny piece of candy.

"That's right; _every _woman loves chocolate," he said with a smirk, looking as if he was already triumphant. "And it just so happens that I have a piece right here."

Jack reached out and grabbed a piece of chocolate--a Hershey's kiss--from the coffee table in front of him, and waved in tauntingly at her. Mikage immediately broke eye contact, taking another bite of her salad.

"No thanks, but like I said, I'm on a diet." Jack gritted his teeth; Mikage had a stronger ability to resist temptation than he thought. But the blonde duelist wasn't ready to give up yet; once he set himself to a challenge, there was no stopping him until he either succeeded or failed completely.

"But it's just one piece; it won't hurt," cooed Jack, still waving the kiss tauntingly in the air. Mikage didn't budge.

"Did you know that chocolate has endorphins in it? It gives you the feeling of being in love," she commented in an attempt to lead the topic away from her eating habits.

"That," began Jack curtly. "Has nothing to do with this conversation."

"Just thought you might like to know," replied Mikage, looking somewhat disappointed that her plan had failed. Jack blinked and let out an inaudible huff, tossing the kiss up into the air and catching it.

"Fine, it you won't eat it, then I will," said Jack with another mischievous smile. He then slowly unwrapped the silver foil off the kiss, revealing its chocolatey bud. Mikage watched him carefully, half-amused by his uncharacteristic antics and half-depressed because she wasn't going to taste the sweet, sweet piece of candy. Jack tossed the wrapper aside and slowly brought the piece of chocolate up to his lips, licking it's surface before completely devouring it.

"Well, that was anti-climatic," said Mikage after Jack had eaten the kiss, being sure to take another bite of her salad. The blonde duelist eyes widened slightly, surprised by her nonchalant response; he had been sure that would break the woman.

"Oh, come on. I saw that look in your eyes; you wanted that kiss, you wanted it _really_bad," said Jack in exasperation.

"I did. But I'm a grown woman, and I can resist petty temptations," replied Mikage shrewdly. Jack buzzed his lips and fell back against the cushions of the sofa, looking rather defeated; but he had his Wheaties that morning, and so another smart idea came to him.

"But I _could _give you another kiss," said Jack devilishly as he stood and approached Mikage. The woman didn't bother to even look up at him as he towered over her, her attention still focused on her current meal.

"Please, Atlas-sama, I've already proven that I-" But her words were cut off by Jack's lips as he swept her up and kissed her deeply. Mikage's eyes widened, shocked that the former king had taken such an initiative--still she wasn't complaining--she had waited for this precious moment to come for years, and she wasn't going to let her small sense of pride and victory get in the way. Mikage cupped his cheek and kissed him back with equal passion, finding that, much to her pleasure, there was still the lingering taste of chocolate on his warm, chapped lips.

Jack broke the kiss, but kept his secure hold around her waist, still holding her surprisingly-light body up--which was proof that she really didn't need to diet at all.

"You're right, those endorphins _do_ give you the feeling of being in love."

* * *

Comments: Cliché galore! Seriously, everyone uses the Hershey's kiss idea at some point. . .Also! Wheaties jokes are for the win! If you don't know what Wheaties are (you poor, deprived child) , they're a type of cereal supposed to make you think better throughout the day.

Yes, I know that they're a bit OOC. But I've always imagine Jack being a bit of a vegetable-hater, and there is actually a tiny shred of sarcasm and attitude in Mikage; I mean, look at how she treats Ushio. Still, I wanted to write a light-hearted MiJack theme with sprinkle of humour. The result was this. Also, Jack is wrong when he says all woman love chocolate; I hate chocolate. I know, scandalous, isn't it? Dark and white chocolate are okay though. Milk chocolate makes me gag.

Longest ending comments award (so far) go to this chapter.

Reviews are love. So if you love me, review. If you don't love me, review anyway.


	35. YuAki: Name

Theme #35: Name  
Couple(s): Yusei x Aki  
POV: Third  
Language: Mild  
Maturity: Medium  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's

* * *

Yusei and Aki laughed alongside each other as the fell onto the white bedsheets together, both still dressed in their wedding attire. If anyone else had been witness to the scene, they might've had a heart attack--not because the newlyweds were about to engage in a sexual act, but because both of them were surrounded by an aura of pure joy, which would be uncommon for two people who were normally quiet and unemotional.

And perhaps that was why they were married; they had found someone who was like them, who understood them. They found a best friend in each other. And there could be no better fate than taking your best friend to husband or wife, because the roots dug deeper than just a simple love; it was unconditional, self-sacrificing. And it lasted forever, even through the tosses and turns of a heated argument.

Yusei smiled at his wife as she hovered above him, though it was one of those rare, exquisite smiles that only she ever got to see. His amber-eyed lover returned his smile of sincerity and cupped his cheek, pressing her lips deeply against his own, catching the lingering taste of wine on them (Which only encouraged her to kiss him even more passionately.) The raven-haired Satellite didn't hesitate to return her kiss as he gripped her backside tightly, his hand trailing up to untie the ribbon that fastened the dress around her waist.

"Careful," warned Aki through their shared kisses. "This was my mother's wedding dress, and I think I'd like to give it to our daughter, if we have one that is."

"I know, Akira, I know." His wife suddenly stopped, rising herself above him with her eyes narrowed.

"Don't. Call me. Akira," she growled in dangerously low tone. Yusei chuckled quietly to himself, unfazed by her threatening voice. Even though Aki did have the capability to kill him with relative ease, her intimidating mannerisms were completely hollow--she'd never intentionally hurt him.

"And why not?" asked Yusei, giving her a quick, tender kiss. "Akira is a lovely name."

"I hate my name."

"You hate your own name?"

"My real name is Aki."

"That's your _nickname_."

"Ugh," said Aki in disgust as she pushed herself off him and climbed over to the edge of the bed. She swung her feet over the edge and folded her arms as if she were a pouting child, averting her gaze from her husband. "I can't believe you. I'm so mad at you, I'm not even going to let you have sex with me tonight, _on our wedding night_." Yusei paused to think.

". . .I'm okay with that," he mused nonchalantly, lifting his cobalt blue eyes up to the back of her head. "Are you?" Aki furrowed her eyebrows angrily at no one in particular, and then licked her lips. She suddenly became glad that he couldn't see her expression, because she was sure it displayed several _interesting_ emotions as various thoughts of both murder and romance passed through her head.

The female duelist sighed. Who the hell was she kidding? She wasn't going to let her _damned_ stupid name ruin her wedding night.

"No," sighed Aki in defeat as she turned to face her husband and then smirked, pinning him back down the sheets to kiss him once more.

* * *

Comments: Before anyone asks (because I know that there are some people who will), no, Akira is _not _a canon name for Aki. That's entirely something I made up on my own. And yes, Yusei and Aki are newlyweds in this chapter. Again, with the whole family/marriage thing. Some of you may think they're kind of OOC, but I was trying to capture that euphoria that comes after you finally get married to someone you love.

Also, I seem to have grown attached to the third POV. *Shrugs*

Reviews are love. So if you love me, review. If you don't love me, review anyway.


	36. YuAki & MiJack: Soap Opera

Theme #36: Soap Opera  
Couple(s): Yusei x Aki, Mikage x Jack.  
POV: Third  
Language: Mild  
Maturity: None  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's

* * *

"Doesn't it just drive you _mad _when two people who love each other refuse to get together?" asked Mikage as she rested her chin in the palm of her hand, watching Yusei and Aki browse an open-air bookstore for some sort of odd text that was required for the Duel Academy student's _Dueling in Literature _class. Jack and Yusei had originally planned to visit the outdoor café that the former king and secretary were presently at in secret while Crow was out on his Delivery route, since the redhead was often the one to get on Jack's case (Yusei always got off free) about being there. However, Yusei simply _had _to bring along Aki, and in turn, she simply _had _to bring along Mikage.

Jack lifted his eyes to look at the far-off pair, his violet irises examining them carefully. He had indeed noticed some sort of "Connection" between the two, though he hadn't ever really thought much of it. Aki definitely wasn't his preference when it came to Yusei, but he could honestly couldn't care less at the moment. Especially when he had the _delicious _coffee he had ordered in front of him.

"No," he said curtly after a moment, taking a sip of his hot drink. Mikage almost looked disappointed upon hearing his reply. She supposed she should've expected it though; this _was_ the untouchable, and emotionless Jack Atlas she was talking to.

"Not even in the least bit?"

"No."

Mikage sighed.

"I just think it's a bit frustrating. . .I mean, love doesn't come very often in a lifetime, so it should be taken advantage of when the opportunity comes, otherwise. . ." her voice trailed off as she watched Jack's normally indifferent expression twist into one of slight disbelief. The woman straightened herself up and looked at him with her brow cocked inquisitively. "What?"

"Oh my God," began Jack, almost mockingly. "You're a romantic. Oh my God." Mikage gave him a mixed look of confusion and apprehension, unsure of how to react to his statement.

"You make it sound like I just told you I was pregnant." Jack choked on his drink slightly as soon as the words came out of her mouth. The blue-haired woman resisted laughing, as she rarely say the former king nearly lose his cool in such an _ungraceful_ manner.

"Mikage, you're not trying to say something, are you?" he asked after he wiped his mouth. The female agent rolled her eyes.

"No, I'm not pregnant. That's just the first thing that popped into my head," she explained. Jack breathed a silent sight of relief. Mikage wasn't his girlfriend, far from it, but the idea of her having some other bastard's baby. . .It got his blood boiling. Jealousy? Perhaps, but he would _never_ admit to anyone, not even himself.

"Well, It just seemed plausible since you and Ushio-" he began casually in an attempt to conceal his hard feelings before the woman across from him cut him off.

"Oh God! No! No!" she squealed, blushing furiously as she spoke. "Ushio and I aren't even--I mean, we're just partners! Just partners, that's all!"

Hearing Mikage's embarassed outburst, Yusei and Aki turned their heads to look at the pair sitting at the outdoor café. After a moment, the psychic duelist laughed and turned to her male companion.

"Doesn't it just drive you _mad_ when two people who love each other refuse to get together?"

* * *

Comments: I suppose I should explain why this theme is so named "Soap Opera". It's because this sort of parodies the basic idea of a soap opera: pregnancies, hopeless romantics, "are they?" couples, unsteady relationships, and "drama". It's all too much fun packeged in one half-hour show. Although, I should say that I hate how this turned out. Maybe some of you will like it better than I do.

Reviews are love. So if you love me, review. If you don't love me, review anyway.


	37. MiJack: Happiness

Theme #37: Happiness  
Couple(s): Mikage x Jack.  
POV: Jack  
Language: Medium  
Maturity: High  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's

* * *

I don't how to love.

Or rather, I don't know what love is. There are so many theories, so many ideas, yet no clear definition; it had been lost among the chaos of a corrupted society, where standard morals and manners had disintegrated under poisonous criticisms and rebellions. Good has become evil, and evil has become good. And the line between love and lust has grown so blurry that it is nearly invisible. Even I cannot see it.

But I want to love. It seems strange, to hear myself think such a sickeningly tender thought. But lust is a harsh word, defined as a fraud of love. But again, what is love? I wanted to believe that it was this sort of eternal warmth that burned in your heart, a feeling of fulfillment and a wonderful kind of ecstasy--unlike like its twin brother, lust, a void of indifference, an appeasement to physical desires. Yes, the prospect of love is more appealing to me.

So why is it that I have a half-naked woman below me?

I kissed her lips roughly, working to finish unbuttoning her shirt, which she willingly allowed. This was the first thing that bothered me; that she let it happen. She was a woman of high standard, having strong, principle beliefs that earned her well-deserved respect. So how could she engage in such a _ludicrous_ act with me without so much a shred of guilt?

She smiled, but not in a way that was erotic, and cupping my cheek with her hand, kissed me back gently. This was the second thing that bothered me; her passion was tender and sweet, completely on a different level than my own. She never seemed to be in it for the pleasure, like I was. There was no sultry look in her honey irises, only a soft innocence of some foreign emotion I did not know. And she remained a porcelain doll every time I went to touch her, her presence maintaining the image of a virgin, no matter how many times I slept with her.

Becoming greatly disturbed, I sat up and turned away, staring blankly at the wall.

"Is something wrong?" she asked with a genuine concern. I could hear the sheets ruffle slightly as she sat up, yet I couldn't bring myself to even look at her. It felt as though there was this wall between, separating the true desires of our hearts, as well as forcing us to be blind to them. I pursed my lips and was silent for a brief moment.

"Mikage. . .Why do you do this? Why do you sleep with me?" There was a definite pause, but I had no way of telling how she was feeling since I still refused to face her; I feared the shame I might feel, the guilt.

"Because you want me to," she replied simply. Though I'm sure she hadn't intended it, her words tore through my heart mercilessly with a previously unbloodied blade. It was at this moment that I realized I had been taking advantage of her; that I had been enough of a selfish _bastard_ to use the tidings of her heart against her in order to satisfy my bodily cravings.

"Then why do you yield to me?"

"Because I love you." She said this without hesitancy, without a drop of doubt. Gaining some resolution in myself, I glanced back at her. Her vivid blue hair cast a shadow over her peachy cheeks, yet I could see the expression of confidence she wore through the gray veil that the darkness covered her with. She seemed so sure of herself. . .

"And do you know what love is?"

"I have a decent idea."

"Then do tell." She smiled again and crawled to me, wrapping her arms around my waist. She rested her face against my back, and I could feel her warm breath run over my bare skin, which ironically sent chills up my spine. Yet, it was a sign that she was real, that she was a human like myself, floundering in the confusion and calamity of reality.

"Love is. . ." She began softly, so much so that it seemed she was whispering. ". . .An unbecoming desire to make the other person happy. Most believe it is a fulfillment of their own happiness or loneliness. It can be. But that's why love must be mutual for it to work, because if two people truly want to see the other happy, then they will do anything to assure that it is so. Therefore, both are happy."

Her answer stunned me. I knew that Mikage was quite knowledgeable, but her answer sounded like something Yusei would say. Still, I pondered her explanation silently as she maintained her grip around me, the soundless air ringing in our ears. Finally, I realized the truth in her words and I soon found myself breaking away from her embrace so that I could face her. She lifted her eyes to mine expectantly, her smile vanishing as she waited for me to speak.

But their were no words in me. So I only brushed her bangs away to kiss her forehead, and then pulled her back down to the bed. I'm sure she was anticipating that we would continue with our sexual activity, but I surprised her as I too wrapped my arms around her waist, and rested my head on her shoulder. Her muscles tensed for a fleeting moment before she relaxed and placed her hands on top of mine.

I felt myself smiling as I kissed her jawline gently. Strangely, this was a _lot_ better than any intimate passion could bring.

"Are you happy now?" I asked, whispering into her ear. Her grip on my hands tightened.

"Yes."

* * *

Comments:I've actually been extremely dry lately. I haven't had too much creativity flow. That's why you haven't seen my stories pop up with updates like they usually do. Oh well. It'll end soon enough once I find some inspiration.

This is probably the most sexually strong thing I've ever written, though after reading it over, it's not actually too bad. I just don't write about sex with any minor explicit features since it makes me kind of squeamish.

Also, this piece is again a part of my moral beliefs.

Reviews are love. So if you love me, review. If you don't love me, review anyway.


	38. YuAki: Writer's Block

Theme #38: Writer's Block  
Couple(s): Yusei x Aki.  
POV: Third  
Language: Medium  
Maturity: None  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's

* * *

Aki tapped her red pen idly against her open notebook, glaring at the blank lines as if she expected words to suddenly start filling them. The young woman had already spent nearly an hour simply staring at the inkless sheet of paper, feeling helpless as to how to complete her weekend DA homework. The claw signer suddenly dropped her pen and sighed in frustration, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Dammit. . ." she mumbled to herself, starting to grow impatient. It really was an easy assignment, something that would only take a half-hour at the most. . .Yet, all words had left her tongue as her flow of creativity had run dry. Aki sighed once again and picked up the pen, placing its tip firmly against the first teal line on the paper. She then bit her lip and waited--waited for a drop of inspiration, of revelation.

Nothing came. So she lifted the pen and merely stared at the dot of red ink it had left behind.

As the former witch glowered at her notebook, Yusei entered into the room, carrying a small bowl full of various nuts and seeds; a trail mix. He sat beside Aki wordlessly, and tossed a cashew into his mouth, chewing on it quietly. Aki gritted her teeth.

"Yusei, you're distracting me," she snapped, folding her arms and frowning at the raven-haired man as if her quandary was entirely his fault. The male duelist cast her a way glance, his cobalt blue eyes connecting with hers briefly.

"Sorry," he said in his usual sincerity, though there was a brush of defensiveness in his voice from her retaliation. "I'll just leave to give you some room to think." True to his word, Yusei stood in preparation to exit before Aki grabbed his hand and violently pulled him back down to the sofa.

"No. Stay," she ordered calmly. Yusei gave her an odd look, noting that she was rather moody today. The thought that perhaps she was menstruating crossed his mind, but he decided against inquiring about it. After all, he didn't really want to offend her in any way.

"Is there any way I can help you?" offered Yusei kindly. Aki looked at him, feeling her lips curve into slight smile. This was one thing that the young woman always loved about him; his willingness to serve, to lend a helping hand. If there was ever an opportunity to assist someone, he'd be the first in line to do it, no matter how tired or lazy (if he ever felt lazy) he was. But the troubled student suddenly frowned, and sighed once again.

"I don't know," she answered truthfully. The Satellite-raised man pursed his lips slightly and silently pulled out the printed sheet of paper with the assignment's instructions out from under his fellow signer's notebook. He lifted the paper up to his eyes, scanning the ink carefully.

"_Write a story between two synchro duelists that demonstrates the use of special-summoning monsters. Use at least 2 magic cards and 3 traps. Minimum 1000 words. . ._" said Yusei, reading the words verbatim. "Doesn't sound too difficult." Aki sighed and quickly ran her fingers through her magenta hair.

"I know," she said plainly, leaning back against the cushions of the sofa. ", but I'm unfortunately going through a rough writer's block. I can't think of _anything_. Which is _pathetic_ since this is creative writing, which is so easy compared to essays." The mechanic shrugged.

"Not necessarily," he said simply, not caring to further elaborate his words. "In any case, I think I know how I can help you." The female duelist's head perked up at this, interested in the prospect of finding some _real_ assistance in her predicament.

"How so?" she asked curiously. Yusei smiled, but not one of his uniform, restrained smiles--this one was true, a sign on happiness with a twinge of mischief. It was looked so unlike him, so surreal. . .But Aki liked it. It fascinated her, allured her into the all-too familiar trap that the human heart set up, causing her cheeks to glow pink.

"A duel?" suggested Yusei inquisitively as he stood. pulling out his deck of cards. "You and I are both Synchro duelists. A quick duel may instill a bit of creative motivation in you." Now Aki was smiling too.

"I think that sounds like a _fine _idea." Yusei held out his hand as an invitation to help her stand, which she accepted. However, their hands lingered for a moment afterward, relishing in the secure hold that they gripped each other with. Their eyes connected and they both smiled again before they released contact, slightly flustered by their fleeting moment of light affection.

* * *

Comments: Totally written because I'm experiencing my own spell of writer's block. It's very frustrating. Seriously. But this is an attempt to try and cure it. Maybe it'll work.

To the reviewer (at least I have the decency to not share your name) who said I was a second-string writer and greatly inferior to my fellow author and friend, I have a message for you: Don't _waste my time _with such useless spam. I'm already going through a severe period of depression, and I don't need someone bagging on my already low self-esteem with rude comments. If you don't like the stories I write, then kindly tell me in all your great wisdom how to improve. Thank you.

*Cough* Sorry; moment of anger. I usually don't lose my cool like that. Also, that little rant of mine passed the longest ending-comments award to this chapter. It even beat #34, Chocolate.

Reviews are love. So if you love me review. If you don't love me, review anyway.


	39. MiJack: Blood

Theme #39: Blood  
Couple(s): Mikage x Jack  
POV: Mikage  
Language: Medium  
Maturity: Mild

* * *

The white light I saw quickly dissipated from my vision as I hesitantly opened my eyes, watching the blur of bland colors come together to form solidity. I blinked under the harsh fluorescent lighting and tried to sit up; however, reality seemed to flood back into my senses, and there was an agonizing pain in my left shoulder. I whimpered and touched it absent-mindedly, wincing again.

Then I saw it. The blood. Well, it was actually dry blood, its flow stopped by the pressure of my tight bandage. But it made me squeamish nonetheless, so I looked away. I never was a fan of blood; I couldn't sit through a gory movie, or even perform the charitable act of donating blood without either vomiting or fainting.

Setting these thoughts aside, I sat up straight and carefully examined my surroundings. The room I was in was actually rather quaint, with peachy-colored walls, green curtains, and a little pot of flowers hidden away in the corner. However, my stiff and uncomfortable bed gave it away; I was in a hospital.

I sighed and laid back down, closing my eyes. Why was I here? I couldn't remember. I'm sure it had something to do with the wound in my shoulder, but I couldn't recall how I had gotten it. As I mulled over my forgotten memories carefully, I didn't notice the door opening to allow someone to enter.

"You're awake," mumbled Jack indifferently as he sat in a chair near my bed, crossing his legs and folding his arms in his usual form of superiority. I sat up in surprise of his presence, and accidentally let the sheet that had blanketed me in my slumber fall. This normally wouldn't be a problem, except for the fact that I was _shirtless_. Granted, my breasts were also tightly wrapped in my bandage, but I still fumbled to cover myself up, being very self-conscious of my body. Jack didn't seem to notice.

"What. . .What happened?" I asked finally after feeling sufficiently dressed. Jack glanced me warily, his expression deadpan. It unnerved me slightly, and from the look in his violet irises, I realized that the gravity of the situation was quite serious.

"You were shot in the shoulder. There was a brawl amongst several D-Wheelers in the one of the more poor districts of Neo Domino City, and you and Ushio happened to be at the scene. You two tried to break it up, but someone pulled out a gun, and you became their target." Jack suddenly paused, as though for dramatic tension. "You probably can't remember because one of the thugs knocked you out. But the doctor says you're really lucky; you only had a minor concussion, and he says you gunshot wound is going to be fine. You've even already had surgery to get the bullet removed."

He said this all calmly, but firmly as to indicate that the incident was nothing to simply toss aside. I felt my eyes widen slightly, yet I wasn't the least bit frightened from hearing about my dangerous encounter; surprised, yes, but only mildly. I really could only expect that this would happen someday. Being a part of the security force wasn't exactly the safest job in the world.

"Is Ushio okay?" I found myself asking.

"He's fine. He's a mess, but he's fine. He's actually down at the station, trying to get thing straightened out. Otherwise, he'd be here," grunted the former King in response. "But you know who else is a mess? Aki. I swear to God, I thought that woman would never stop lamenting about how worried she was about you. But Yusei just took her home. I don't know where the hell Crow is."

Oddly, I smiled. It was nice to know that people cared. It was nice to have friends who worried about you. People go through life fearing loneliness, and they spend years searching for reassurance that they are loved. Yet, the only way you can find such solace is when you brush up against death, and watch how many people run to save you.

"The doctor also said you might have some minor memory loss; which is obvious, since you can't remember what happened. But _please_, at least tell me you know you're own name," said Jack suddenly, looking up at me with a stern look on his face. I chuckled quietly to myself.

"Mikage Sagiri, age 23, born January 12th, 2001 in Domino City, Japan--before it was destroyed, that is. My parents are Imae and Akeno Sagiri, and I have one sister, Ayumi Sagiri. I'm also the Special Investigations Chief, but I used to be your secretary."

"And who am I?"

"Jack Atlas."

"Very good. But I only asked for your name, not your entire biography." I shrugged.

"Well, it served as a reminder to myself as well," I explained in a matter-of-fact voice. Jack mumbled something incoherently in response, and turned away. My head perked up slightly, and I worried that I had somehow offended him.

"What was that?" I asked, brushing my hair behind my ears as if to prepare myself for his words. The blonde duelist glanced at me briefly, but looked away again. He remained silent for a moment, and then cleared his throat to speak

"I don't think you should work for security anymore," he said bluntly, without any further explanation or reasoning. I furrowed my eyebrows slightly, both in confusion and irritation. What was he getting at? Was he being over-protective perhaps? But why? He didn't really ever give a damn about me. But whatever the case, the idea of him actually _caring_ about me made my heart flutter for a fleeting moment.

"Are you worried?" I asked without so much as another thought.

"No," he scoffed, glaring at me. "I just think it's stupid for someone like you to be involved in something that can be so dangerous."

I found myself smiling once again, and I could feel my cheeks heat up slightly. He really _did_ care. Of course, he'd never actually admit such with his horrible pride. Still, I was confident that this was a confirmation that he was at least concerned about my well-being. And with the way my heart sped with such velocity, that was good enough for me.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think I'll resign as chief," I began calmly and with tender grace. "I love what I do. Plain and simple."

Jack grunted, and allowed silence to fall. For awhile, I just watched him, waiting for him to speak again, to make a movement at least. But he seemed to be enraptured in his own thoughts, so he made no further conversation. I sighed and laid my head back against the pillow uncomfortably, making a mental note to perhaps ask Aki or Ushio in the morning if they'd bring me something more soft. After all, it appeared that I was going to be here for a few days, and I did not want to spend my time on a stiff bed.

"I'm leaving," declared Jack abruptly, standing up. I was half-asleep at that point, so I only nodded and yawned. I expected that he'd exit right awat, but he instead approached me, and in one swift, unanticipated moment, he kissed me on the forehead. I nearly recoiled in shock, appalled that he had decided to take such an initiative. Still, the warm feeling that came when his lips met my skin caused shivers to run up my spine, but in a sort of way that brought about the feeling of pure ecstasy.

He lingered by me for a quick moment before pulling away, only looking at me. I realized that he was waiting for a reaction in that split-second where our eyes connected, gold to violet, causing my heart to skip a beat. I smiled inwardly and cleared my throat.

"You missed." His lips curved into a smirk as he kissed me once again; although, this time, it was on the lips. His contact was light and delicate, probably because he didn't want to risk hurting my shoulder any further. But I didn't care. So I cupped his cheek and kissed him back with a deeper passion, knowing that only a soft kiss of endearment wouldn't be enough for me, oh no, not after over _two years_ of waiting for this moment. Having received my OK, Jack responded with an equal enthusiasm, gripping my uninjured shoulder tightly and caressing my cheek.

"Uh. . ." said a third voice awkwardly from the doorway. Jack and I broke apart with a certain degree of celereity to see Crow, his face bright red with embarrassment. "Um. . .Well. . .I'll just leave you two alone!" The red-headed D-Wheeler then slammed the door, making himself invisible to our sight.

Jack stared blankly at the place where his former teamate had stood, before grumbling something about murder under his breath. I laughed to myself and touched his hand tenderly, glad that I had his support.

* * *

Comments: This took forever to write. Seriously. Four hours for something under 2000 words. Geez. . .

Thanks to all who talked to me about my unfortunate encounter and depression. You guys are the best. =)

Reviews are love. So if you love me, review. If you don't love me, review anyway.


	40. YuAki & MiJack: Break Up

Theme #40: Break up  
Couple(s): Aki x Yusei x Mikage x Jack  
POV: Yusei  
Language: None  
Maturity: Medium

* * *

"Would you like some Orange juice?"

"No thanks, I don't have much of an appetite this morning. . ."

With this said, Mikage pulled out a chair from the white dining table and sat, folding her trembling hands neatly on the surface. I raised my brow acquisitively at her nervous state, allowing my attention to be drawn to the shakiness of her fists. I quickly noticed that she had painted her nails a pale pink color, which is actually an odd sight to see, since she usually doesn't bother to coat them with a polish; that is, unless something is troubling her. Painting her nails was just one of her sundry habits she used to distract herself, to calm her nerves. It was something I learned in the eight months of dating her.

"Are you okay?"

"Hm? Oh, yes, I'm fine." Liar. "I just didn't get a whole lot of sleep last night." She looked at me with this melancholic, anxious look in her honey irises as she said this, her pale lips forcing a weak smile. I stared back at her for a brief moment, feeling my gut churn uncomfortably; she knew. I suppose this was to be expected though; she's a smart woman, and she's always been able to easily discern what my intentions are. . .

In truth, she is very beautiful. But there is a difference between recognizing someone's beauty and feeling _attracted _to them. Beauty is only skin-deep, but an attraction runs deeper. Now, I'm not saying Mikage is stuck-up, or anything; she's a good person inside and outside. But there comes that point where the drive of appealing factors stops, and true affection grows. We've never reached that point.

Do I love her? Yes. But not with the romantic passion that lover's feel. We have trouble being intimate, affectionate. We've only had sex a few select times, each incident more awkward than the last. It always feels as though I'm trying to make love to a friend, a sister. And I just can't do it.

And I can't do it anymore.

It felt untimely, but from the tension that now existed between us, I decided it would be best to do it now and get it over with, instead of making her suffer throughout the entire day. I sat across from her, mirroring her gesture of folding her arms. Mikage kept her gaze averted from mine.

"Mikage. . .I think . . ." It's better to just say it, I reminded myself. "I think we should break up." Her muscles tightened, and she slowly lifted her eyes up to mine, her expression seeming rather surprised; which, in itself, confused me. She had already sent the signal that she was aware that I planned to split up with her. . .unless. . .

I bit my lip hard, and swallowed.

"I. . .I just don't think we're actually in love. . ." I awaited anxiously for her response, silently praying she wouldn't cry. I can't stand to see a crying woman; the sight is simply heartbreaking. Furthermore, I truly did care for her, and I in no way wanted to upset or hurt her. . .

I nearly fell out of my seat when she smiled, her dulled eyes suddenly brightening with their usual positivity.

"I think you're absolutely right." Was I dreaming? "We aren't in love." She stood, tightening her robe around her slender figure as her smile widened. "In fact, you're still in love with Aki--

"--And you're still in love with Jack," I finished, also smiling. Now I understood why she was previously so distressed; it wasn't because she knew I was breaking up with her, it's because she was _also _planning on breaking up with me. Yes, it all made perfect sense; everything that occur ed that morning was simply a misjudgment on each other's purposes.

"Precisely," she said with a veritable enthusiasm, clearly relieved. "We can't counterfeit those feelings we have for them through either of us; and so, I agree that it's best if we don't date anymore." I also stood and approached her, placing my hand firmly on her shoulder.

"Still friends though?"

"Of course."

We embraced briefly, and I kissed her forehead for one last time. She didn't seem to mind though. It was a form of closure, a sign that despite the fact we were no longer together, we were still close. I think both of us prefer it that way.

"I must say, Yusei, this is the best break-up I have ever had."

"Yes, this is quite a good way to end it." She broke away after I said this, still smiling, and fiddling with the end of her robe slightly.

"I think I'm going to go change. Then I'll go talk to Jack; you know, to try and clear things up, and hopefully convince him to give us another try. . ." she said, already on her way to the bedroom. "What about you?"

"Same here, Mikage," I said, chuckling to myself quietly. "Same here."

* * *

Comments: I actually enjoyed writing this one. If only splitting up with someone was this convenient. If only. . .

Reviews are love. So if you love me, review. If you don't love me, review anyway.

* * *


	41. YuAki: Priority

Theme #41: Priority  
Couple(s): Yusei x Aki  
POV: Yusei  
Language: None  
Maturity: None

* * *

"Ruka, do you think you can grab my helmet?"

"Sure thing, Yusei."

The young teal-haired woman retrieved the said item and presented it to me, which I accepted gratefully. I then placed the helmet on top of my head, and comfortably settled myself on my red D-Wheel. As I started to rev up the engine, I could barely hear Ruka's phone go off, nor her conversation as she took the call.

"Mikage? . . .Hm. . .What do mean. . .so. . ." I only caught bits and pieces of the verbal exchange, but I quickly decided that it didn't concern me, so I returned my attention to the upcoming duel before me. That is, until I heard Ruka scream out my name, trying to make herself heard over the roar of the engine. I immediately shut off my D-wheel and stood.

"What is it?" I asked calmly, removing my helmet. I knew that my duel was supposed to be starting in a few minutes, but from the look upon the female twin's face, I could see that this was serious situation.

"That was Mikage. . .She, Jack, and Crow are at at the hospital with Aki. Her water broke, and she's currently in labor." I felt my eyes widen. In labor? But the baby was supposed to be due in two weeks! And I had wanted to be there for Aki when she gave birth, so Ruka made sure to keep the week of the child's due date free of scheduled duels. . .But now. . .

"Is Mikage still on the line?" I asked weakly. Ruka nodded and handed me her phone, which I quickly and shakily brought up to my ear.

"Mikage? Are you _sure_ she's in labor? What if she's just having false contractions?"

"Positive. We thought that perhaps her body was in pre-labor practice as well, but we went to the hospital anyway, just to make sure. But, the doctor truly believes the baby is coming," she explained, sounding a bit anxious herself. "He wants to start the delivery in 20 minutes." I cursed inwardly. 20 minutes. The duel itself would at least be 20 minutes. The trip to the hospital would be another 10, and that's if I went over the speed limit.

"How's Aki doing?"

"She's fine. In pain, obviously, but fine. She said she knows that you're about to start a duel, and she wanted you to know its okay for you to go through with it. However, she'd appreciate it if you came to the hospital straight afterward."

"Right. . .Thanks Mikage. . ." I hung up and sighed. I could feel Ruka's eyes watching me carefully as I wandered over to my D-Wheel, put my helmet back on, sat down, and revved up the engine.

"Open the door, Ruka. Please." She gasped, staring at me with horror. I suppose she had expected that I would ride my D-Wheel to the hospital, instead of entering through the large, garage door that would lead me out to the stadium to face my challenger.

"Are you sure?" she squealed, blinking rapidly. "I could so easily cancel this duel, and with good reason too!"

"I know, but. . .I have to defend the title of King. . ." For a moment, I thought Ruka looked purely disgusted with me, an expression I had never seen in the six years of knowing her, but she turned away before I could confirm this.

"But Aki's your first priority. . .You said so in your vows. . ."

"I know. And that's why I must remain King so I can continue to support her and our baby." Ruka sighed.

"Fine then." She pushed a button which opened the door to the stadium. I quickly accelerated and burst forth through the rising mist and onto the track. I always thought the "grandness" of this sort of entrance was too much for me, but whenever I spoke about changing it, Jack got on my case about "not enjoying the title."

"And here comes King Yusei Fudo to meet his challenger to the crown, Dano Keiji!" shouted the MC in his usual enthusiasm. The crowd went wild as I drove around the track once, twice, three times before finally slowing next to my opponent.

The MC continued to ramble on about something as the audience started to chant my name. My opponent cordially wished me luck, which I nodded to in response. Yet, I could start to hear the screams and cheers slowly fade away until I heard nothing, with the exception of my own breathing.

No. I heard someone else breathing too, a female, labored and distressed. It was Aki, I was sure of it. I knew then at that moment then that she was giving birth to our child. Alone. Sure, the doctors and the nurses were in the room with her, but _I_ wasn't there to hold her hand. Me, the father, her husband. The one who _vowed_ to keep her as my first priority.

I turned off the ignition and stood. A dead silence fell over the entire stadium as I did, confused as to why I had done such a thing. My opponent blinked, and turned off his engine as well.

"I'm sorry, but I can't do this right now," I admitted, watching my opponent's face bear an expression of shock. Never had a King of Neo Domino walked out on a duel before, risking his own title. But, there's a first for everything I suppose. "You see, I received a call a few minutes ago telling me that my wife was about to give birth to my son. And she is, and always will be my first priority."

My opponent started at me blankly for a brief moment before chuckling to himself quietly.

"Alright, I get it. You get on and go see your wife. We'll finish this some other time,"

I smiled and thanked him before mounting my D-Wheel, speeding off and out of the stadium. I could hear bemused whispers and a few boos amongst the crowd, but I didn't care. It felt like I had a huge weight lifted off of my shoulders, and that I could breathe easy now. Then I remembered that I was going to be a father.

* * *

Comments: I hope you all got the irony of the last two sentences.

To clarify, Ruka is Yusei's secretary, like how Mikage was to Jack when he was King. Except Yusei's actually nice to Ruka. And Ruka doesn't love him. I don't know why I made her his secretary, I just thought it was in Ruka's forte to do it. And yes, she's older. Like, 18.

Reviews are love. So if you love me, review. If you don't love me, review anyway.


	42. MiJack: Papercut

Theme #42: Papercut  
Couple(s): Mikage x Jack  
POV: Mikage  
Language: None  
Maturity: Mild  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's.

* * *

Papercuts are nasty. They're small, nearly invisible to the eye really, but they sting horribly under the exposure of something as simple as open air. Such is the same with Jack Atlas. He says things, hurtful things; words that cut the skin sharply but precisely, and then he pours and inkling of hot water and soap on it, just to make it burn. And if that tiny wound made is left unattended, it becomes infected, and it swells angrily until it receives the attention it deserves.

"Is Yusei present this morning?" I asked politely as I stepped into the open-door home that was being rented by the said male, Jack, and Crow. The blonde duelist grunted and shot a glare up at me from the couch he was sitting on. I shuddered. He obviously didn't want me here. He has the tendency to be a bit anti-social, and he isn't normally a fan of company.

"No," he replied with his usual, harsh voice. I sighed.

"There's no need to get defensive, Atlas-sama." Atlas-sama. He was no longer my superior--if anything, I was now superior to him--but it seemed to be a habit that I simply couldn't break. "I'm just here to drop off some public files from security he requested; I'll just leave them next to his computer. Will you let him now I was here?" His voice rumbled slightly and he nodded.

I returned his curt nod and proceeded to allow the folders to slide out of my fingers gracefully onto the desk; however, not without the edge of one loose paper slicing through the surface of my skin. I winced and pulled my hand up toward my face to examine it. Sure enough, a small but deep cut was present in the web of skin between my thumb and index finger, where a drop of thick blood was emerging.

I could feel my face pale and my stomach churn uneasily. Blood. I hate blood. It's a wonder why I'm chief of Special Investigations on Security, especially since my job majorly involves investigating crime scenes, where the sight of blood is all-too possible. I moaned at my minor injury and looked away.

"What?" demanded Jack at my groan.

"Nothing; it's just a papercut," I mumbled in response. He gave me an odd look, his brow raised slightly.

"All that trouble for a measly papercut?" he asked, referring to my condition. I ignored replying to his question for a brief moment as pressed my finger onto the wound, applying pressure to it to stop the flow of blood. I licked my lips nervously under feeling the warm liquid congeal and stick to my skin.

"Papercuts can be painful too," I answered finally in a casual manner.

"Ever fallen off a D-Wheel?"

"I've been in a car accident."

"They're not the same thing." I looked at him. There was no expression upon my face, I just looked at him. And though my outward appearance was neutral, I could feel bitter resentment boiling deep within me, threatening to erupt. I tried to repress it, but I could not: two years of forcefully quelling my anger had only made it hotter and more dangerous.

"If you're looking for sympathy, I don't have any; I already spent it all on you." I turned on my heel to storm off, but already I was regretting what I had said. The situation did not call for such a nip at Jack's character, but the years of allowing his papercuts to tear at me had worn me down and left me diseased with acrimony. Yet, in that single moment, I myself had turned around and given him a papercut. Still, my pride (yes, I do have it) wouldn't allow me to turn and plead for his forgiveness. So I continued onward, leaving him with a bewildered and perhaps a. . .hurt look on his face?

"Wait."

I stopped but was silent.

"You're upset." No duh. "And it's my fault."

I blinked. This was new. Was he _attempting_ at an apology? I wondered briefly if I was dreaming, but the stinging pain in my hand reminded me that I was not. I heard a moment of rustling through shelves and drawers behind me before I suddenly could feel Jack's warm breath traveling down my neck,which sent a shiver up my spine. I slowly turned to face him, but refused to look him directly in the eyes, my gaze cast at the floor.

"Where's you cut?"

"Here," I replied, holding up my injured hand in a manner where the slice in my skin would be obvious. Pulling out a band-aid, he carefully pulled the adhesive paper away and placed it over the papercut's groove, securing it with the press of his finger.

"If you leave it open, it'll get infected," he said, looking up and smirking. "But would you like me to kiss it better, just in case?"

I smiled.

* * *

Comments: Probably OOC, but I'm so tired I don't care right now. I will int he morning, but not right now. . .This theme sort of alludes to theme #39: Blood, which further mentions Mikage's disgust of blood.


	43. YuAki: Abuse

Theme #43: Abuse  
Couple(s): Yusei x Aki  
POV: Yusei  
Language: Medium  
Maturity: Medium  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's.

* * *

"Dammit, the roof sprung another leak," complained Jack loudly, holding out the palm of his hand to allow a single drop of water to fall onto it.

"Then fix it," I replied in a matter-of-fact voice, my own hands busy at work on our D-Wheel engine. It was past Midnight. Normally, all three of us would've been in bed by now. However, with the WRGP less than a month away, we had to utilize all our time for the sake of finishing the engine--even if it meant staying up into the late hours of the evening, and growing edgy over lack of sleep.

Jack glowered at me, but remained silent. This of course meant he wasn't going to fix it--which would I mean I would have to, in the morning, since I couldn't trust Crow with such a task. I sighed.

"At least put a bucket under it then." Jack grumbled at this suggestion,but stood to go find a worthy container for the leaking roof. Silence then fell over the room, the only noise being the sound of the rain pounding against the windows violently. That is, until there was a weak knock at the door.

"Who the hell would be here this late at night?" groaned Jack as he pulled out a plastic container out from under the sink.

"I don't know, Jack, why don't you answer the door to find out?" said Crow in annoyance.

"Why don't you?" retorted Jack. Nobody budged. I emitted a low growl from the back of my throat at my friends' laziness, but I stood and went to the door as another knock came. I was blown away when I saw Aki standing there, soaked in heavy rain. But it wasn't precisely her presence that shook me; it was her appearance. A black eye, bloodied lips, a gash on her cheek, red eyes from crying, and an assortment of bruises were all over her arms and legs. I could feel my stomach churn sickly when she attempted a weak smile and croaked, "Hi, Yusei."

I didn't hesitate to immediately pull her into my arms, though loosely since I wasn't sure whether she had another sensitive injury that I could possibly worsen. The fallen woman bit her lip, and allowed more tears to cascade down her pale, clammy cheeks, though she said nothing. "Jack, call 911."

"Why, who--shit," swore Jack, interrupting himself as he saw Aki's condition. Crow stood, his eyes wide in shock. I lead Aki, who was limping, down to the sofa, where I laid her there to rest. I brushed the hair that clung to her skin out of her face and felt her forehead--it was cold--too cold. I pursed my lips and turned to my present red-headed friend.

"Go get a blanket; she might have hypothermia," I ordered. He nodded and left just as Jack returned, and reported in an angrily frenetic voice, "The ambulance will be here soon; Aki, what the hell happened to you?" Aki tried another smile, though the thick, hot blood on her lips nearly hid it.

"Daimon got angry," was all she said. I immediately clenched my fists. Daimon, her boyfriend. They met two months earlier, and right from the beginning, I knew that he was a suspicious character. Her father thought so too, and forbade her to see him. (I, myself, only advised her not to get involved with him.) Aki ignored our advice, (Well, my advice) and went ahead and started dating him. Hideo-sama was furious, and I feared he would disown her again, though with Setsuko's counsel, he calmed his nerves enough to allow her to stay. At least then he could keep and eye on her, and Daimon. I presume though, that the senators reaction to the start of their relationship is probably the reason she came her tonight instead of to her own home.

Jack gritted his teeth, "That asshole; I swear, the next time I see him I'll--"

Aki suddenly panicked and cut him off, "No! No! He was just upset that I hadn't--that we hadn't--" She was sobbing again at this point. "He's a good person, I know it, he just has a temper, that's all." I could feel my heart breaking as she said this. Then, my hatred for the bastard who had touched Aki in such a manner throbbed passionately, but I reminded myself that I needed to keep my fury in check.

"Hadn't want?" I asked gently, rubbing her hands slightly in a poor attempt to warm them up. Her bottom lip quivered for a moment before she spoke to us softly, "that I hadn't slept with him." Jack cursed loudly and punched the wall, infuriated, "Damn selfish, sensual bastard."

"Watch your language, Jack, " I scolded as Aki broke out into another fit about how Daimon really was a "good guy" and that he was just "misunderstood." Crow returned with a heavy quilt that Martha had once made for us, which we quickly wrapped around Aki as we helped her to sit up again. The young woman continued to shiver, however, and so I sat beside her and embraced her to hopefully provide her with better warmth. The rose duelist suddenly broke out into tears again and began to mutter in incoherent strings of words and phrases how she "should've just slept with him." I shook my head, almost literally feeling nauseous at her state of mind and health.

"Look at what this guy's done to you," I said quietly into her ear without fear of regret at my own words. Aki, whom had just been learning to stand on her own, had suddenly tumbled down again, lower than she had been before--to the point where she wasn't even willing to defend herself. I knew Aki could very easily protect her person with her powers, yet she was so smitten with Daimon, that she refused to hurt him.

It killed me to know that I could've done something, that I could've put a stop to what was happening. I had a inkling of an idea that there was some form of violence going on between Daimon and Aki after she slipped-up and told me about his bad temper. But when I further inquired about it, she snapped at me and told me to keep out of her affairs. But if I had called Ushio or Mikage, if I had reported my suspicions to Security--

I pressed my lips to her still-wet knuckles, kissing them gently. Aki fell silent, staring at me with a half-dead look in her eyes that seemed impale my heart with a knife. A few minutes in a deafening silence until we could hear the ambulance sirens approaching. Jack, to save Aki from walking on her limp, hoisted her up into his arms and went to greet the medics. I followed, quietly whispering a promise to Aki that I'd never let him hurt her again.

* * *

Comments:

**National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1−800−799−SAFE (7233) or TTY 1−800−787−3224.**

Use it. Also, you don't treat Hypothermia with just a blanket and a hug, but for the purpose and realism of this particular story, I didn't accurately describe it. You're _actually_ supposed to remove the victim's wet clothing and _then_ wrap them in blankets. If the hypothermia is really severe, then you're supposed to remove your own clothing and embrace them. (Awkward, but true.)

Reviews are love. So if you love me, review. If you don't love me, review anyway.


	44. MiJack: Impatience

Theme#44: Impatience  
Couple(s): Mikage x Jack  
POV: Mikage  
Language: None  
Maturity: Medium  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's

* * *

The church bells are chiming. Again.

Their song is actually quite beautiful, but the melody becomes tiresome after awhile. Especially when it's Spring, the wedding season, and your office _and _apartment just happens to be a few blocks away from that particular Church. Yes, it seems that every hour in every day of March, April, and May, the old, copper bells start to ring as yet another young couple are bound in the ties of Holy Matrimony.

Funny thing is, the bells never bothered me before. Perhaps it was because I didn't take much time to listen to them, or to even care. Or maybe it's because I'm now just the slightest bit jealous of the many brides that have passed through those doors. I'm 27, and unwed. Yet, I've watched several of my younger female co-workers and friends settle down and get married. To put it simply, I feel left out. I feel like I _should _be married, and that I _should _be pregnant, and that I _should_ be raising a family.

But I'm not.

And my boyfriend doesn't seem the least bit interested in marrying me, despite the fact that we've been together for three years. But I honestly should have expected this when I started dating him. He, the great and indifferent Jack Atlas, could never possibly lower his unfathomable pride enough to take me to wife. Still, I had worked so hard to gain his attention, to even earn his love that I couldn't possibly imagine leaving him because he wasn't willing to take our relationship "one step further." I love him, but for the first time in my life, I'm impatient.

I've wanted nothing more than for him to actually humble himself enough to get down on one knee and ask for my hand. I've wanted nothing more than to stand beside him at the alter in a stunning, white dress and vow to be his wife. I've wanted nothing more than to spend to rest of my life with him, to bear his children. I've wanted all of this since March 1st, when the first bells of the first Spring wedding began to ring.

Of course, he doesn't know all this, even when I drop him hints. Everytime I time I try to bring up the subject of marriage, he either ignores me, or starts a different conversation. But I've had enough. My impatience has grown enough to the point where I cannot wait any longer.

I opened the door to the apartment we share, allowing the cool breeze to rush inside as if it were trying to warn my lover of my intentions. I shut the door and immediately drop my bag as I see him lounging on the sofa, sipping his hot tea. He nods to me as a greeting and then reverts his attention back to his drink, probably expecting that I would retreat upstairs to take a bath or shower as I normally would. But not tonight. Slipping off my heels as I approached his casual state, I climbed on top of him and pushed him down on the black leather, kissing his lips deeply. His eyes widened ever-so-slightly at my abnormal sexual aggressiveness, and he placed his tea off to the side.

"Bad day, Love?" he asked, placing his hands firmly at my waist and kissing me back, presuming I was looking for sex as a way to unwind from the daily stresses of work. (Which I partly was.) I didn't reply at first, laying myself completely down and pressing my body shamelessly against his as I curled my fingers into his thick, blonde hair. I then brought my forehead to his, staring intently into his violet abysses.

"Marry me."

"What?"

"Marry me," I repeated, frowning. Would it _really_ be such a difficult thing to do? We were already living together, and both of us had already admitted (granted, he came much later than I did) that we loved each other. Marriage simply made it all official, cemented the keystone of the relationship, if you will. (If anything else, getting married would ensure us a tax break.) Jack blinked and pursed his chapped lips together slightly.

"Alright," he replied plainly, sitting up and bringing me to sit on his lap. Now it was my turn to be surprised. I had expected that I would have to do _a lot_ of convincing, both verbally and physically. But, he didn't even put up a fight; he agreed, as if it were no trouble. Seeing my bemused expression, Jack smirked and went on to say, "If you want to get married, then fine. We will. But don't expect some sort of over-the-top, romantic event. I hate weddings." He paused, and seemed to lose himself in thought for a brief moment. "In fact, I would much rather elope. That way, we could get married in the morning, if you'd like."

Now, his willingness had completely blown me away. In the _morning_?! It all seemed to be happening too fast, as if it were a dream. But his warm breath that brushed over my lips and tickled the tip of my nose reminded me that this was real; that he was real, and he was serious. I unconsciously swallowed and gave him a weak smile, placing my hand over where his heart would be.

"That would be. . .wonderful," I said airily in disbelief. It was a huge understatement. Jack Atlas, the handsome and haughty ex-king of Neo Domino was prepared to wed me by morning--it was so uncharacteristic of him, so unexpected, and in it's own way, kind of romantic. He smirked once again and kissed my forehead before chuckling to himself quietly.

"But couldn't you have been a little more patient? I was already planning on proposing to you this weekend."

I paused. Blinked. And laughed.

Oh, the irony.

* * *

Comments: Fail.

Reviews are love. So if you love me, review. If you don't love me, review anyway.


	45. YuAki & MiJack: Chance

Theme#45: Chance  
Couple(s): Yusei x Aki, Mikage x Jack  
POV: Third  
Language: Mild  
Maturity: Medium  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's.

* * *

"Oh my God," gawked Aki, staring at Jack incredulously as if had suddenly sprouted a second head. "You. . .You. . .Oh, you are _so_ screwed." The magenta-haired woman was laughing at this point. Jack glowered at her, his lips pursed together in frustration.

"I still don't get it," said Jack, gritting his teeth. "Mikage's been giving me the cold shoulder for days now, and I don't understand how--"

"--How? _How_?" interrupted Aki, wiping away a tear of her laughter as she uncrossed her legs. "Let me tell you one rule about a woman: you _never_ refuse her sex if she comes to you wanting it, that is, unless she's drunk. Then she'd get upset because she'd feel you had taken advantage of her."

"Mikage has refused _me_ sex before," Jack replied in exasperation.

"Yeah, but you're a man," said Aki, grinning cheekily as she rested her chin in the palm of her hand, reveling in the idea that Mikage (as the Claw Signer believed) might drive the former king insane by withholding herself from him.

"It was past midnight, and I was tired--" began the blonde duelist, trying to explain himself. The previous week, his wife, Mikage, had come on to him, whispering her desire to make love as she kissed his neck seductively. Jack, whom had experienced a very exhausting day in his Pro-Duelist career, was not at all interested, and gently refused. The ending result, a very unsatisfied Mikage and a very confused Jack.

"Doesn't matter," giggled Aki. "Guys are turned on all the time, but a woman is rarely ever in the mood. But when she is, sex becomes a_ need_, not a _want_." The Wing Signer narrowed his eyes, folding his arms arrogantly as he did.

"You know what I think? I think you women need to learn how to deal with rejection better," murmured Jack under his breath, though Aki ignored him, calling for her own husband.

"Yusei!~" she cooed, and Jack grimaced. He had planned to keep the sudden strange rift in his and Mikage's relationship secret from everyone except those who would help him solve it--Or in other words Aki, a female who would understand his wife's grief. Within minutes, the cobalt-eyed man appeared in the doorway, his hair damp from a shower.

"Aki, what's--Jack? Why are you here?" he asked, his face contorting into an expression of confusion.

"Never mind him right now," said Aki, waving her hand dismissivly. "Yusei, if I came to you in the middle of the night looking to make love, would you reject me?" The Satellite blinked, bemused by her question, though he didn't hesitate to reply.

"No."

"Even if you were tired?"

"No."

Jack's face fell slightly, knowing this conversation was headed in the direction he did _not_ want it to go.

"And why is that, dear?" asked Aki, eying Jack devilishly.

"Because," began Yusei casually as if it were a known fact, "you would never come to me again if I did."

"See?" said Aki with another laugh, turning back to Jack. "Even Yusei knows not to reject a woman sex." The light bulb in Yusei's head suddenly turned on and he allowed a sympathetic, but amused expression to cross his face.

"Jack turned Mikage down, didn't he?" he asked, chuckling as he sat beside his wife at the table and put his arm around her.

"That he did," replied Aki teasingly, suddenly nuzzling the crook of his neck slightly. Yusei smiled and kissed her jawline, inviting her onto his lap, an invitation she accepted. Jack rolled his eyes and gagged inwardly. Being newlyweds, the Signer lovers were prone to suddenly become intimate during the most inconvenient times, even in the presence of company.

"I'm leaving," mumbled Jack, standing up and knocking his chair aside loudly. Yusei and Aki paid him little attention as he left, though the former witch called out, "If you beg for forgiveness, you might have a chance at a normal sex life again!~"

* * *

Mikage picked up another dish, and rubbed the damp wash cloth against it to clean the undesirables off. As the blunette busied herself, Jack entered the kitchen his hands stuffed into his pockets.

"Hey," he said, smiling at her faintly. She glanced up and also smiled.

"Hey," she replied plainly before returning to the sink. The Satellite looked as though he were pouting for a moment; He had hoped by now his wife would be over the whole incident.

Sighing, Jack approached Mikage from behind and kissed the back of her head, hoping to gain her favor. Truth was, his lover _had been_ withholding sex from him since he had declined to make love to her days before--and it_ was _starting to bother him, since she usually had it in her heart to cater to his physical desires.

At first, the blue-haired beauty smiled, enjoying his rare, sentimental affection; but frowned once she felt his lips trail down to her neck.

"I'm not in the mood," she replied flatly, breaking away from his grip on her shoulders to turn and face him. Jack sighed again and began to rub his temples.

"This is ridiculous," he moaned in exasperation. Mikage had to keep herself from cracking a smile.

"What is?" she honestly inquired, not seeming to understand her husband's gripe.

"Ever since that night--when I told you _I_ wasn't in the mood, you've been purposely refusing to--" began Jack before his lover cut him off with a quick, sweet kiss on his lips.

"I know I have been," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck and standing on the tips of her toes so that her lips barely grazed his. "And it's been fun."

"_Fun_?"

"Well, for me at least," she replied, smiling. "But I'm done with it now. And I think you'll be happy to know that I'm willing to give you a second chance. Tonight." Now Jack was smiling as well.

"Sounds great."

* * *

Comments: Don't deprive a woman of her sex. XD Intended to be a humour piece.

Reviews are love. So if you love me, review. If you don't love me, review anyway.

* * *


	46. YuAki: Turn

Theme #46: Turn  
Couple(s): Yusei x Aki  
POV: Third  
Language: None  
Maturity: Medium  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's

* * *

An infant's cry ripped through the silence of the night, like a whip cracking in the air--awakening both of the ill-slept parents. The pair shifted uneasily under the sheets, neither really wanting to retreat from their bed. Still, they couldn't just leave the child to sob shamelessly throughout the late evening.

"Kyon's crying," one murmured, exhausted.

"I can hear that," said the other, her voice sounding somewhat bitter than their son had again robbed them of their much-needed slumber. Though her husband could not see it, she rolled over to face him, her feline-like amber eyes staring at his motionless figure intently. "It's your turn."

Yusei sighed inaudibly, and finally sat up, stretching his arms. He had always heard parenthood was the worst best thing that could happen to a person, and for the longest time, he didn't quite comprehend what it meant--that is, until he actually became a parent. Sleep deprivment, schedule changes, doctor's appointments, and financial restraints were only a few of the things he had to deal with now, all for a creature less than three months old.

After managing to push himself out of bed, the Satellite-raised man stumbled over to the nursury. He pushed the light switch up, causing the lamp to flicker on and dimly illuminate the yellow-painted room. Yellow--Aki had wanted the baby's gender to be a surprise, so she insisted they paint the child's bedroom yellow, a neutral color, unlike the sex-defining blue or pink. Yusei wandered over to the crib, and glanced down at his inconsolable son, his skin wrinkled and beet red from crying.

The father almost had to restrain himself from laughing as Kyon's expression reminded him of his own wife when she was angry. Yusei then lifted the baby into his arms, which almost immediately quieted the child's screams into helpless sobs. The Head Signer blinked. Was it possible that his son was just lonely? He checked his diaper, and saw no undesirables present--so, he postioned Kyon on his shoulder and patted his back gently but firmly, wondering if his previous meal had unsettled him. Yet, the infant continued to cry softly.

Yusei then realized with grief that there was only one option left; and that Aki was certainly not going to be happy about it. Adjusting the child in his arms, he returned to the bedroom. His wife had fallen back asleep, her chest rising and falling evenly as she breathed, almost sounding like a cat, humming in contentment. Yusei felt guilty, having to nudge her awake.

"What is it?" she asked groggily, too tired to get upset. He paused, the corners of his mouth turning downward into a frown.

"I. . .I think he's hungry." Aki stared at him for a brief moment, and then without hesitation or complaint, took Kyon from her husband. Yusei allowed his son, no, their son to pass from his arms gracefully, eying his lover warily as she tugged at the collar of her loose shirt, allowing it fall just enough to reveal one of her breasts.

"Could you turn on the light?" she asked, sounding more clear as she brought the infant to her chest. "Dimly, though. Bright lights hurt my eyes." Yusei obeyed, and reached over to their lamp, turning the knob ever-so-slightly to bring about a light comparable only to a dying candle. Aki's peachy lips curved into a satisfied smile as she nodded to her partner in gratitude. Yusei, all at once feeling compelled to do something, sat on the edge of the bed, gripping his wife's half-bare shoulders firmly and nuzzling into the crook of her neck. Aki's smile widened, thoroughly enjoying his admiration.

"He is a very handsome boy, actually," said Aki abruptly, on the edge of disturbing the peaceful sentiment. "Like his father."

"You flatter me." He wasn't sarcastic, but he wasn't precisely serious either.

"Just returning the favor," she replied, resisting the urge to shiver in pleasure when he kissed her neck. They may have fought, they may have argued, they may have even cursed ill words upon one another, but it was moments like this that made all that bitter tension worthwhile. After all, all married couples disagreed at one point or another. It was just up to them to repair the damage, however minor or major, after one of their conflicts.

Kyon broke away from his mother, yawning. Both parents made brief eye contact, and smiled once again. Parenthood certainly had its _ups_ and _downs_, but neither could no longer imagine life without it. They loved their son too much for that.

"I think he's done now," said Aki, handing the child back to its father before pulling her shirt up again. He nodded and quickly returned the infant to his crib in the other room. Arrivng back in his bedroom, Yusei saw that his wife was waiting for him, now shifted to the middle of the matress. He smiled, knowing _exactly_ what this meant. The Satellite laid beside her and wrapped his arms tenderly around her waist, kissing her cheek. It by all means wasn't passionate, but it certainly hadn't happened in awhile.

It didn't take long for the two to return to the land of dreams--nor did it take long for their son to come out of it as his sobs startled the couple awake, again. Both heaved a heavy sigh, but Yusei, with a smirk upon his face, leaned over and whispered into his wife's ear, "It's your turn."

Her response was a mixture of a laugh and a moan.

* * *

Comments: AGAIN WITH THE AWKWARD TOPICS. Breast-feeding. . .Geez. . .

I know, a quick update; mainly because I feel bad about how slow I've been to update everything else in my writing world, and because the last two chapters of mine SUCKED. I tried to be a little more. . .descriptive. Hope you enjoyed this one better. :D

Reviews are love. So if you love me, review. If you don't love me, review anyway.


	47. MiJack: Away

Theme #47: Away  
Couple(s): Mikage x Jack  
POV: Third  
Language: Mild  
Maturity: High  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's

* * *

She needed to get away.

Mikage gripped the steering-wheel tightly, feeling her eyes burning with oppressed tears. Her vision of the highway blurred briefly from the salty water, and her first instinct was to pull off the road and cry until she felt numb; as a security officer, she knew emotions could be just as dangerous as alcohol on the road. However, she brushed the feeling off and continued onward, convincing herself she was almost there.

And she was.

The woman turned onto a small, dirt road, leaving the view of the city's bright lights behind. She needed to get away, so far away that nobody would find her; that nobody would even bother to look. She brushed her eyes away of her tears, and pressed the brake pedal, easing to the side of the road. She set the car in park and turned the ignition off; she had arrived.

Stepping out of the car, Mikage looked out to the serene lake before her, its waters black from the lack of moonlight that evening. She found herself sighing, and pulling off her shoes as she headed to the shore. She visited this place often; more than most people knew. Her father would take her and her older sister there on Sunday afternoons to play on its beach while he fished. Even after his death, she continued to visit; it was her safe haven, a place that returned her to childhood, a world without mundane cares.

The honey-eyed woman dipped her feet into the water, despite the fact that it was autumn and the temperature was freezing. Mikage instantly relaxed, and she laid back into the tall grass, feeling the green blades tickle her skin like a feather. She closed her eyes and listened; much to her pleasure, all she could hear was the rustling of tall trees, the rippling of the lake water, the chorus of grasshoppers hidden among the foilage. . . the tires of a second car grumbling against the rocky road, coming her way.

"Dammit,"she murmured under breath, sitting up. She had been followed; she didn't expect she would, since virtually no one would know her path of travel. Even so, she had taken extra precautions during her drive, constantly checking her mirror to see if anyone was tailing her, which no one was. Unless. . .

"How did you know where I was?" she asked as the other person exited his vehicle. He stopped in his tracks and hesitated.

"I just had a feeling you'd be here." He then sat beside her, though he kept a respectable distance; any closer, and she would've grown upset. Mikage pressed her lips together, annoyed as the man fixed his dimly-lit violet eyes on her, awaiting her response. She remained silent, however, and once the man sitting opposite her realized she didn't intend to reply, he cleared his throat

"This is where we first made love," he said calmly, almost stupidly as he cast his gaze upward at the seamless sky, its nature untainted by the glamor of the city. "Do you remember?"

How could she forget? To have sex with someone in a place other than a bed was extraordinary for her. But that's just what Jack Atlas did; he lead her to do crazy, extraordinary things, he made her _feel_ extraordinary. But the event was more than just that. That night was the first time he told her he _loved_ her, that night assured her that he actually _did_ have a heart, that night she felt _passion_ in its rawest form.

That night she was convinced she wanted to spend the rest of her _life_ with him.

"This is also where I first got pregnant," she added with a sarcastic, almost satirical tone. Jack looked guilty for a moment, and then he sighed, "Mikage. . ."

Something inside the older woman broke, and she started to cry again. Had she been stable, she would have been horribly embarrassed that she was sobbing in front of _Jack Atlas_ of all people; but she was much too upset to think about it, or even care. "I d-don't get it," she stammered through the hot tears that spilled from eyes. "It was perfectly healthy. The doctor said so--but then a week later he said that something had gone wrong and I was going to have a miscarriage. I-I just don't get--"

"--I thought you didn't want it." He didn't mean to sound so insensitive, but he did anyway. Mikage bit her lip, trying to calm herself.

"I didn't. It wasn't the right time; I still wasn't settled into my position as chief of special investigations, I didn't have the flexibility, I didn't have the financial stability, I--_we_ weren't even together. . ." She stopped to recollect her thoughts for a brief moment, taking in a deep breath of the sweet, unpolluted air around her. "But all that didn't mean I still didn't love the baby. . ." Jack listened to all of this intently, and once she finished, he leaned closer towards her so that their faces were merely inches apart.

"Do you want another?"

His question struck her; _did_ she? And with _him_? She looked at him, searching his richly-colored amber eyes that masked what his emotions so well. What about what he felt? Why was he even offering? She suddenly wondered if the loss of the child had affected him too; if it had broke his heart like it had hers. Mikage could feel her mood softening, and before her mind could further pursue the subject, her lips formed the shape of a "yes."

Without any hesitation, Jack tilted his head and kissed her; gently at first, but he deepened it as he pushed her onto the ground. Mikage let out an inaudible gasp as he gripped her shoulders firmly and nipped at her neck. It was just like before; that love, that _passion_ she had felt three months ago when she brought him to her haven. Did that really mean that he--?

"I love you," he said, and she knew that he meant it. Still, it all felt so surreal. Here was the man she had spent years chasing after with little hope of ever catching him; yet, here he was telling her those three precious words that she had longed to hear from the moment she, herself had fallen in love. Mikage embraced him, running her polished, black nails gently down the spine of his back.

"I love you, too," she said before he kissed her again, delaying her question "Does this. . . Does this mean we're together?" He stopped for a moment and flashed his infamous trademark smirk.

"What do you think?"

The clouds finally uncovered the moon, and fireflies decided to make a late performance at the shore. The waves barely grazed the feet of the two lovers, but water's icy touch didn't matter as long as they had the warmth of one another, content under the hum of the trees' branches.

* * *

Comments: I liked this one. Sort of. I think my descriptions are improving dramatically. _Think_, being the key word. I was feeling romantic, therefore, I needed to write something romantic.

Reviews are love. So if you love me, review. If you don't love me, review anyway.

* * *


	48. YuAki: Story

Theme #48: Story  
Couple(s): Yusei x Aki  
POV: Third  
Language: None  
Maturity: None  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's.

* * *

Carley tapped her fingers idly against her desk as she stared at the blank document on her laptop. The reporter turned her wrist and checked her watch; 10:36 p.m. She moaned loudly as her head fell against the hard wood. The article was due in less than two hours and she had _nothing_; and if she didn't submit the story to her editor by midnight, then he would surely fire her. Carley sighed and lifted her head to check her notes. Ironically, this should have been an _easy _article to write, an article that would launch her career.

And yet. . .

It _wasn't_ easy, because she _knew_ the two people she had to write about. They were her _friends_. To do what she was expected of would ruin them, but make her. But she couldn't do that; she loved them, like how they loved each other. It was just unfortunate that no one else in the media could see that.

Other reporters, like Angela, would sneer and say that the whole ordeal was an outrage; a scandal. Yusei Fudo, King of Riding Duels, and Aki Izayoi, infamous Black Rose Witch, engaged to be married?! The idea was nothing short of preposterous. But Carley was the only one who could see beyond that, the only one who could cry out, "but they're in _love_."

Carley pulled her recorder out of her pocket and placed it on the table in front of her, staring at it silently for a moment. Earlier that morning, she had interviewed the soon-to-be-married couple, and recorded it for her personal use later. She was lucky too as Yusei and Aki had refused to talk to any other reporter; Carley was the first and only one.

She was the one who had the _real_ scoop. Now her only choice was to either use it to her advantage, or use it to try and save the couple's now-muddy reputation. Carley then reached out and pressed 'play.'

_"State your names."_

_"Yusei Fudo."_

_"Aki Izayoi."_

There was a pause, and a shuffling of papers; Carley knew that it was herself, looking for the questions she had scribbled down prior to the interview.

_"So, tell me, when did you two first meet?"_

_"The Daimon area," _replied the two in unison.

_"But I thought you met at the Fortune cup. . . ?"_

_"I think a lot of people think that," _interjected Aki. _"But no, our first encounter was actually the day before, at an old dueling arena."_

_"Did you two talk?"_

_"Not exactly," _said Yusei with slight hesitation. At this point, Carley remembered that neither particularly looked like they really wanted to further pursue the subject, so she moved onto the next question.

_"When did you two first fall in love?" _

The recorder fell silent, and Carley could tell that the interviewee's were thinking.

_"Well. . ."_

_". . .I think it's hard to say."_

_"What do you mean?"_

_"There was never a definite point that we fell in love; I mean, it certainly wasn't love at first sight." _Laughter could suddenly be heard from the pair, as if they had their own little inside-joke. _"For me, I think I started to feel something after my duel with Yusei during the Fortune cup. . . Y'know, after what he said to me."_

_"What did he say?"_

_"He said. . . He said he would take on all my sorrows," _said Aki. Carley could fell her heart burning upon listening to this over the recording; she could distinctly remember how Yusei's cobalt blue irises softened as she spoke, how his grip on her ring-decorated hand tightened. . . _"He said I had to think for myself, that I had to love myself. No one had ever told me that before, and it stuck with me. . . I wasn't able to forget about him after that."_

_"I see. . . Now, why did you say that, Yusei?"_

_"Because I loved her; not romantically, at least, not yet." _He stopped, and took in a deep breath. _"I saw someone who was hurting. . . a lot. And for whatever reason, I just couldn't turn myself away from her. I. . . I wanted to help her, more than anything."_

_"Then when did you fall in love with her romantically?"_

_"Well, it's like Aki said; it's hard to say. It just. . . happened. However, I do recall thinking to myself that she was quite charming after we became friends."_

_"When did you become friends?"_

_"After he saved me," _replied Aki quietly.

_"Saved you, how?"_

_"I was in the hospital, after the Arcadia Movement's headquarters fell. My parents came to visit me, but I was in a coma. The doctor's felt I would never wake up however, and my father became desperate. He heard about the duel between Yusei and I during the Fortune cup, and decided to recruit him to see if he could call me from my slumber. He did."_

_"What happened after that?"_

_"We dueled," _replied Yusei flatly, and again, Carley knew to stop pressing the question.

_"When did you start dating?"_

_"After the WRGP."_

_"Why?"_

_"It couldn't be avoided," _said Yusei, sounding slightly amused. _"My team was victorious, and so she gave me a congratulatory kiss. After that. . . everything just fell into place."_

_"What do you mean?"_

_"It was like this barrier was broken,"_ he explained in a matter-of-fact voice. _"Suddenly, the idea of being a couple didn't seem awkward, or risky. We didn't have fear of the opinion of others, we didn't mind the stares when we walked down the street together. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered. Just each other. And before I knew it, I was asking her for her hand."_

Carley suddenly remembered how Yusei kissed Aki's knuckles tenderly for emphasis, how Aki's cheeks sported a curious shade of pink. . . And of course, how she felt her own mouth go dry, shocked at the lack of bitter feelings, the lack of fear or worry. She, herself, had watched the duel between Yusei and Aki at the Fortune cup when she was a novice reporter, and she could vividly recall the amount of destruction, the amount of hatred, the chaos, the screams, the tears, the pain. . . but none of that was present.

Just love; untwisted, untainted, uncorrupt.

_"And you aren't bothered by her past at all?"_

_"Not in the least bit."_

_"Don't you fear her powers?"_

_"No."_

_"Aren't you worried she'll kill you?"_

_"Not at all."_

_"Why not?"_

_"Because I love her."_

Carley hit 'pause' on the recorder and then rewound it.

_"Why not?"_

_"Because I love her."_

He sounded so serious, so genuine. . . She had no doubt in her mind that he was telling the truth, that his affections for her were absolute, and vice versa. There was no scandal, like everyone else thought; it was just an odd twist of fate that brought two unfortunate souls together, and prepared them to make everlasting bonds that succeeded beyond the ties of friendship.

Carley pushed the recorder aside and leaned in towards her laptop, her fingers settling on the keyboard as she typed her story's headline:

**"Yusei Fudo and Aki Izayoi: A Love Story."**

**

* * *

**

Comments: I wrote this in a different style than I normally do; during the interview session, I avoided specifying who was speaking, and let the dialogue speak for itself. Also, I really wanted to write something about Carley, since she is love~ We share the same name, y'know.

Reviews are love. So if you love me, review. If you don't love me, review anyway.

Hey!~ Check out my FF journal called "Ink Splatters." The link is posted in my profile. I've got information on updates, and advice on improving your writing skills and usage of the Fanfiction site!


	49. MiJack: Lawless

Theme #49: Lawless  
Couple(s): Mikage x Jack  
POV: Third  
Language: Medium  
Maturity: Mild  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's

* * *

Mikage had always been the "good kid."

In school, she got perfect marks, wore modest clothes, had clean language, and hung out with other girls like herself. Her boyfriends were smart, sensitive, and had good hygiene habits; if they didn't, she'd break up with them. She never texted in class, and was irritated with other kids who did. She never disrespected the teacher. She was fascinated with her government class, and always admired those who upheld the law. Her fascination led her to major in criminal justice in college (which she of course got full-ride scholarship to.)

Her first job was the assistant to the Director of the Public Security Maintenance Bureau, a job she secured easily in competition with older men and women who had many more years of experience than she. Her second job, the Chief of Security's Special Investigations team, which was a high honor, a prestigious position; she had dozens of men under her command, some nearly twice as old as she was, and she was only 23.

Now she was the one who upheld the law.

"Damn, I don't know how you do it," said Jack, rubbing his hands together and blowing on them to warm them up. The blonde man was completely bundled up, looking as though he was prepared to face a stormy winter. Standing opposite him though was Mikage, with nothing but a scarf and a long-sleeved jacket to keep her warm.

"Do what?" she asked, even though she knew perfectly well what he meant. Jack was physically superior to her in nearly every way, so when she came across something she withstood better than he did, she made sure he knew about it and admitted to it, even if it was something as simple as being more well off on a chilly winter day.

"There's snow on the ground and you're wearing a _skirt_," he replied with a brush of both sarcasm and envy. Mikage rolled her eyes.

"Well, I am wearing hoes." She could at least give him that much.

"Hoes don't make a difference."

"You'd be surprised," she said with slight humour in her voice, "but I'm sure you wouldn't know; you haven't ever tried on hoes, have you?" Jack cocked his brow at her.

"No, and I think I'll take your word for it," he said, stuffing his hands back into his pockets. "How is it that you're able to withstand the winter much better than I?" Mikage blinked, and pursed her lips together slightly; there was probably a scientific explanation for this, since she had learned that most everything nowadays had one.

"Hm... Well, you grew up in the Satellite when the smog was suffocating. Smog traps in heat, so your Winters were warmer. However, I grew up in Neo Domino, where the air is cleaner and therefore colder. To put it simply, I've been adept to it longer." Jack paused.

"I suppose that makes sense," he began thoughtfully. "Now, does that actually have some depth, or did you just make that up to make me feel better?" Mikage scowled.

"It has _some_ depth," she replied, looking slightly irate. "Remember though that I haven't studied science for 5 years, since I was in High School."

"Remember though that I actually haven't _been_ to a school," he said, looking just as irked as she was. They glared at each other for a moment longer before they both finally gave in and chuckled at their pointless argument.

"Hey, I have to meet the guys in less than 20 minutes for another training session for the WRGP at the stadium," he said, taking a small step closer to her. "Do you think you can walk the rest of the way?"

A pretty smile bloomed on her face, and she also took a step closer to him so that she had to strain her neck just to look directly into his eyes. "Sure thing; the office is only a few more minutes away anyway." Jack smiled too, though subtly, as he bent his head down to kiss her. His lips seemed to melt against hers, as they always did, and she had to stand on the tips of her toes to kiss him back, even with her heels.

It wasn't an especially uncommon sight to see a couple sharing a kiss on the streets of Neo Domino; but whenever their lips met, it always seemed that the focus of other people turned to them, whether it be because someone recognized them as influential figures, or because there was just something different about them, something that never seemed to be there during a relationship.

Mikage was the first to pull away, saying, "Now don't get into trouble while I'm gone. Your name may have been cleared from the list of suspects in the Ghost fiasco, but you're still a person of interest." Jack rolled his eyes.

"Okay, _mom_," he said sarcastically, kissing her again. "So I'll see you tonight? I could probably figure out how to get Yusei, Crow, and Bruno out of the house."

"Or we _could_ just go to my apartment."

"But then I have to explain to them what I was doing all night in the morning."

"Well," she said with slight hesitancy, "we'll burn that bridge when we come to it. So have fun storming the castle today."

And with another quick kiss, they separated.

Jack Atlas was nothing quite like her standards required. He was a lawless bastard, untamed, relentless, raised in the ghettos; everything opposite of what she ever even dreamed of.

And yet, she was somehow completely, and totally head over heels in love with him.

* * *

Comments: They were already dating, in case you didn't figure it out.

Only one theme left. Holy crap.


	50. YuAki & MiJack: Change of Heart

Theme #50: Change of Heart  
Couple(s): Yusei x Aki and Mikage x Jack  
POV: Third.  
Language: Medium  
Maturity: Medium  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's.

* * *

"Dammit, hurry up, Yusei," cursed Aki in complaint as a cold sprinkle of rain began to tumble down from the cloudy sky above. Yusei cast a wary glance at her, but remained silent as he fumbled with his keys and unlocked the doors to the "Poppo Time" garage. The pair then hurried inside to escape from the souring weather, and immediately began to strip themselves of their dampened clothing.

"It's amazing how bad the weather can turn in such a short amount of time," mused Yusei aloud, starting to unbutton his jacket. "It was beautiful this morning; not a single cloud in the sky..."

"Perfect for a wedding, huh?" added Aki as she stepped out of her ruby red heels and fell back onto the sofa, rubbing her sore feet. "At least Mikage and Jack left for their honeymoon before the storm came in."

"I suppose so," said the raven-haired male, sitting beside her as he loosened his tie and tossed it aside. His companion didn't reply, silently pulling her bun apart and allowing her vibrant magenta hair to fall to her shoulders. She then pursed her lips, displeased; although she couldn't see her reflection, Aki could tell by the way everything fell down in a disorderly array that her hair was a complete mess. She ran her fingers through her wet locks in an attempt to tame them.

Yusei watched her quietly, his attentive blue eyes noting her every gesture, her every movement; as if he were waiting for some sort of sign. Aki, though at first oblivious, eventually noticed his unrelenting stare and inquired about it. He, as he always did, averted his gaze and turned his cheek toward her, replying that it was nothing.

The young women looked unconvinced, but as usual, didn't push the subject; which gave leeway for silence to poison the rain-sweetened air again. Yet, it was not awkward; the two were adept to silence, they had been their entire life. He was raised in the most remote part of Satellite, away from the roar of the hazardous factories and the busy harbor; she grew up in the slums of Neo Domino, hiding away quietly in the abandoned alleys, where her only companions were the echoing screams of her victims.

"Are you sure your parents are okay with this?" asked Yusei suddenly, breaking the lull of speech. There was a flash of annoyance in Aki's amber irises, though her temper hardly leaked through the cracks.

"I'm 18 now; my parents don't have any jurisdiction over me," she replied coolly, "but yes, they know I'm here and they're fine with it."

"Yes, I know you're free to do whatever you want now," said Yusei with a sigh. "I'd just rather stay on your father's good side."

"Papa likes you," said Aki plainly, shrugging, finally giving up on the hope of fixing her hair.

"And I'd like to keep it that way," said Yusei, averting his gaze from hers once again. "What do you suppose Mikage and Jack are doing?" he asked suddenly, changing the topic of their conversation.

"Gee, I don't know, probably having sex," replied Aki sarcasticlly, rolling her eyes. Yusei could feel his cheeks flush slightly; the last one he wanted to think about was his older brother sleeping with recently-wed wife, _especially_ when he was _alone _with his very attractive, and probably very willing female Signer companion. Although, even Yusei had to admit that he should have seen that one coming.

"That's not what I meant," he said with an awkward cough.

"Then what did you mean?" asked the Clawed Signer, flipping her red hair back slightly as she leaned in towards him with her chin resting in the palm of her hands and eyelids drooping lazily as if she were tired. (Which Yusei knew, of course, she wasn't; he knew Aki to be feisty when awake but downright mean when she was tired.)

"I only meant to ask what you thought about it all... Crow and I thought Jack would _never _settle down because... well, you know how he is. He's so-" began Yusei before he was cut off.

"Full of himself? Arrogant? Egotistical?" finished Aki for the Satellite.

"I was going to say untamed."

"Well, I suppose that works too," said Aki, furrowing her brows slightly, pouting from how Yusei shot down her self-amusing stream of insults, "but unfortunately, he fell in love with a woman who wanted a family. And, well, love will do crazy things to you; even give you a change of heart, a desire to become what they want and need, a willingness to give up everything for them."

"Deep," mused Yusei plainly.

"You're the one to talk," snorted Aki, "everything you say is a fu- ah, a confusing puzzle." The young woman had stopped herself mid-sentence to correct her language; she knew Yusei was not very keen on poor language, so she always tried her best to clean it up for him. Yusei cocked his brow at her.

"But how would you know?" he asked, his intensely blue eyes settling directly on her, "How would you know that it gives you a change of heart?"

Now it was Aki's turn to blush. "Personal experience," she replied shortly, making it clear to Yusei that she wanted him to drop the subject. The curve of his lips fell slightly, looking disappointed; however, he was inwardly pleased since her reaction alone spoke volumes.

"I see," he replied coolly, relaxing into the cushions of the sofa and turning his head slightly away from her. And thus, for the _third time that night, _silence fell; except now, it left Aki completely unsettled. She shifted around uneasily in her spot, clasping and unclasping her hands, twidling her thumbs, shivering as she listened to Yusei's breathing even with the pounding of the rain on the windows.

"Dammit," she mumbled before mustering up all the courage within her to turn toward Yusei and kiss him fully on the lips. Shockingly, he didn't seem surprised by this at all; in fact, he seemed as though he were _expecting_ it as he pressed his lips back against hers. The kiss itself cetainly wasn't magical, nor was it passionate; it was, however, a pure and simple expression of the pair's budding feelings for one another, and really, that was all it needed to be.

"You realize that you have to go home now, right?" asked Yusei after he broke the kiss off with Aki. She pursed her lips, looking a bit put off by his remark.

"Why? It's not like we're going to sleep with each other tonight," she protested. "And even so it's not like I have my virginity to protect or anything."

"I know, but I do," said the Satellite, pushing her magenta bangs away so that he could kiss her forehead. "That, and you father would _not be happy_ if he found out you stayed the night while we were courting."

The rain was brutal by the time the two had ventured outside, and the old, black umbrella wasn't exactly able to hold up well under its duress on the way back to the Izayoi estate. Aki felt, however, that the inconvenient moment was totally worth it as she and Yusei pressed closely together under the shelter of the umbrella, the smell of his musky, inexpensive colone still lingering on his skin, and of course, the remanants of his lips on hers as he kissed her goodnight, the taste as bitter as cinnamon but sweet like apples.

**FIN.**

* * *

Comments: WOW. Last theme. Like, wow. I can't believe it's over. It's actually almost been a year today from when this story was first published. I'm going to be a little arrogant right now and applaud myself for my not-giving-up.

ATTENTION READERS: YUSEI IS A PRUDE. And Aki is slightly slutty. Thank you.

While this may be the last theme, I don't think I'm quite done yet: I'm considering going through all my files and finding all the scenes _I changed, cut, or just never ended up using _and collaborating them into a "deleted scenes" chapter_. _That'll be exciting, don't you think?


	51. BONUS: Deleted Scenes

**BONUS: DELETED SCENES, UNUSED CONCEPTS, AND FAILED THEMES.**

I've never considered myself a particularly orderly person, yet, _Life's Bittersweet Taste _is the most complex, organized story I've ever written. It all started when I wanted to start a new story known as "YuAki: 30 Kisses." But somewhere along the early planning stages, I pulled MiJack into the picture, and 30 chapters quickly expanded into 50. From that point, I wrote out 50 basic ideas that I could write about. However, only 31 of the 50 original concepts were ever published. The remaining 19 were either never used, or scrapped during the writing process.

And even of the themes that did manage to be uploaded and published, many scenes and/or pieces of dialogue were cut before readers could ever even see them. But now since I've finally finished _Life's Bittersweet Taste, _I'm willing to share these deleted scenes, as well as the remaining 28 concepts/failed themes. Please note, however, that I wasn't able to recover everything on my computer, and I did re-write some of the lost content from memory. Enjoy.

* * *

**Part 1: Deleted Scenes**

**

* * *

**

Theme #12: Stadium

A/N: Italicized content is from the existing theme.

_"-would it all be for nothing if I didn't get to spend the rest of my life you?" he said, cutting me off. I stopped and felt my eyes widen, putting my hands up to my lips in shock._

_"Y-Yusei..."_

I kissed him, and wanting to prove that I was willing to marry him, I unbuttoned my shirt. A look or surprise crossed his face, but he followed my lead and took off his jacket. Even though the air was freezing cold in the stadium, his piercing warmth was enough to affirm everything; it was our first time making love, yet I knew it wasn't going to be our last.

_"Come on," he said, lacing his fingers through my own__ and standing up _after we were fully dressed again_, "let's go home. Everyone's been worried about you."_

Reason(s) for deleting: Because it would have been one of the _worst_, most stupid, unnecessary vague sex scenes _ever_. Furthermore, I felt like it was sending the wrong message_, _that Aki had to sexually _prove_her love to Yusei.

_---  
_

Theme #20: Attachment

A/N: Italicized content is from the existing theme.

_She was crying now. Jack sat beside her and pulled her into his arms, stroking her hair. Crow got up and stood beside Yusei and Aki, whom had laced their fingers together in an almost supportive fashion. Although Akeno was not their own child, it hurt them to see the parents at loss in such pain_.

After several hours of filling out paperwork and receiving recommendations from various nurses on therapists she and her husband should see, Mikage was discharged from the hospital. With extra condolences from Yusei, Aki, and Crow before splitting up for the night, Mikage and Jack decided to head home.

Jack placed his keys into the ignition of the car and turned them until the engine spluttered and came to life. His wife sat beside him, staring out the window toward the glow of the hospital, her heart heavy with grief. She and Jack hadn't really discussed it, but she supposed they would hold a funeral for Akeno in a few days; her sister, Ayumi, called and said it would be good for closure. The hospital had already sent the body to the local mortuary.

"Jack," she began suddenly, turning to him as they exited the parking lot, "I want another."

The blonde pursed his lips; somehow, he knew this would happen. Mikage had a void in her heart, and she wanted it filled.

"I know."

"No, I mean I want to get pregnant again, _now_."

Jack looked at her, his violet eyes wide with horror. "I'm sorry, I can't... "

"Why not?"

He sighed.

"I just need some time, that's all. Getting pregnant right away won't make everything suddenly better," he said. Mikage turned her head away, but said nothing. The rest of car ride home was silent.

Reason(s) for deleting: This was intended to be the original ending for Theme #20. However, I felt the scene gave the impression that there was a rift between Mikage and Jack's marriage, which I didn't want; I wanted to give the feeling that although they had lost their first child, they were going to get through it together. Which is why I scrapped this scene and replaced it with the short conversation between Yusei and Aki at the end, leaving Mikage and Jack's last interaction of the chapter to be their sentimental hug.

---

Theme #23: Drama

Jack stormed angrily down the hallway of the Public Security Maintenance Bureau. Godwin had managed to irk the former king yet again, and now he really needed to blow off some steam. His victim would, of course, would be his secretary, Mikage Sagiri. He screamed out her name and she scurried to meet him, bowing and asking him what he needed.

In truth, Jack knew he didn't actually need anything, but by default, he asked for tea. And within 20 minutes, Mikage had left and returned with a tray of piping hot tea.

Reason(s) for deleting: This scene, obviously, was never finished. It was supposed to contain the kiss Jack would talk later about in the chapter, but I realized the scene wasn't really getting anywhere, so I cut it entirely and then I was too lazy to try a different approach. Ffffft.

---

Theme #33: Family

A/N: Italicized content is from the existing theme.

_Setsuko Izayoi let out a squeal of pure delight before hugging her daughter, Aki, and her _husband_, Yusei, tightly. Aki blushed a deep crimson, embarrassed by her mother's antics, while Yusei remained completely nonchalant, as if he expected this sort of reaction. To Yusei, it would seem to be commonplace for a mother to gush over her _the news of her graduation to grandmother._ Though, he couldn't be positive since he never really knew his own mother. _Still, he had always been under the impression that Setsuko had wanted to have more children, but after Aki had developed disastrous psychic powers at the young age of five, she and Hideo probably had bigger things to worry about. However, with the birth of his and Aki's first baby, Setsuko would have a second chance at playing a significant role in a child's life._  
_

_"Oh my goodness, I can't believe you're _having a baby_!" exclaimed Setsuko happily after pulling away from the couple, beaming at them with a dazed grin on her soft face. Aki averted her gaze from her mother, still looking slightly flustered._

_"Mama... There's no need to make a big fuss," she said quietly, her eyes still glued to the floor. Setsuko's joyous expression didn't falter, even upon hearing her daughter's low, dark voice._

_"Oh, but sweetheart... I'm going to grandmother! You hear that Hideo? We're going to be grandparents!" said Setsuko, glancing quickly at her husband before back at the pregnant couple._ "Do you know what the gender is?"

Yusei chuckled and putting his arm around his wife, replied,"a boy." Setsuko squealed again.

"A son! Oh Hideo, they're having a son!"

Reason(s) for deleting: Well, this scene wasn't really as much deleted as it was slightly modified... As you can see, Theme #33 was originally going to depict Yusei and Aki as an already-married couple, pregnant with their first child, and Setsuko was going to be gushing over that. But for whatever reason (I can't really remember now), I changed it so that Yusei and Aki were only engaged, and went with the story from there.

---

Theme #39: Blood

Never in her life did she think that Jack Atlas would ever faint. And from donating blood, of all things; yet, it happened as soon as the required pint of blood was filled. For a moment, her heart had skipped a beat, seeing the color drain out of his face and his eyes roll in the back of head; but the doctor explained that it was okay, that he probably just didn't have enough iron in his system. The nurse then brought him a bottle of water as he started to come around, and a little sticker that read "First Time Donor." Jack scowled when she put it on.

Thus we were shoved off so they could bring in more donors, and I was deemed designated driver; after all, Jack certainly couldn't drive after fainting only moments before.

"Aren't you going to donate?" he grumbled, rubbing his temples; clearly, he was getting a headache. I pursed my lips slightly, casting my gaze toward the ground, almost feeling ashamed.

"I don't weigh enough; you have to have a certain height and weight to donate, and I've never been able to meet the requirements," I explained, hoping he wouldn't pick up the melancholic tone in my voice. I had always wanted to donate blood since the bloodmobile started coming to my high school every few months or so. However, I was always turned away for the same reason; I was too light, and it would have been potentially dangerous for me to donate.

He grumbled something to himself and turned away. "I'm not a first time donor," he mumbled, surly. My eyes widened slightly.

"Oh... The nurse probably just mistook you for one because you fainted."

Reason(s) for deleting: Also unfinished. I don't know whether you noticed or not, but this is obviously not from the published version of Theme #39. Actually, Theme #39 was originally supposed to be about Jack fainting after donating blood and Mikage having to deal with injured pride afterwards, however, I ended up disliking the idea as soon as I started writing it. Thus it was scrapped it, and I came up with a different concept for the theme; Mikage would be put in the hospital after being shot, which is what ended up being written and published.

---

Theme #48: Story

A/N: Italicized content is from the existing theme.

_"It was like this barrier was broken," he explained in a matter-of-fact voice. "Suddenly, the idea of being a couple didn't seem awkward, or risky. We didn't have fear of the opinion of others, we didn't mind the stares when we walked down the street together. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered. Just each other. And before I knew it, I was asking her for her hand."_

"How did you propose?"

"Well, it wasn't exactly your normal proposal," began Aki. Carley remembered the young woman smirking at her fiancé, and he rolling his eyes, although there was a distinct smile upon his lips. "I found out shortly after he proposed that he had actually been considering asking me to marry him for several months by then, but wasn't sure how to go about it. Then his idiot friend Crow dared him to duel me, and if he lost, he'd have to propose right then and there."

"I lost on purpose," added Yusei.

Reason(s) For deleting: While cute, it felt unnecessary, so I cut it.

Theme #50: Change of Heart

A/N: Italicized content is from the existing theme.

_"And I'd like to keep it that way," said Yusei._

"Yusei, he's almost 50," continued Aki, her voice sharp with an edge of sarcasm, "you could take him down easily." The raven-haired male raised his brow at her questionable remark about her kin. Aki had always had the tendency for her comments to become a little caustic, but Yusei had never heard her speak about her father in that manner, at least, not since they had made up two years back.

"That is," he began with a quick pause, "a horrible thing to say about your dad." Aki shrugged.

"He said horrible things to me when I was a child," said Aki casually, although there was a clear indication in her voice that there was still bitterness in the relationship, "I feel liberated enough to talk about him." Yusei hesitated; although she was justifying herself, who was he to argue? Hideo never was exactly the father of the year.

_"What do you suppose Mikage and Jack are doing?" he asked suddenly, changing the subject of their conversation _to avoid contention.

Reason(s) for deleting: It was simply off-topic.

* * *

**Part 2: Unused Concepts

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**

Theme #__: Shoes

Aki gritted her teeth, feeling her blood start to boil.

"You know Jack, my shoes could be considered dangerous weapons," she growled, glaring at the older man. "It would _really _hurt if I threw one at you."

Reason(s) for not using: While it was humorous, it was stupid.

---

Theme #__: Cupcakes

"Then tell me, Aki," asked Mikage with a bemused look upon her face, "Why _did _you invite me over here?"

"The answer is simple, Dear Mikage," began Aki as she pulled flour out of the cupboard, "I suck at baking. You don't. You're going to help me bake cupcakes for the guys."

"How does this benefit me?"

"You get the possibility of a potential boyfriend, if Jack likes cupcakes."

Reason(s) for not using: Ditto.

---

Theme #__: Journal

"Rua! That journal contains Aki's private thoughts!" hissed Ruka in a hushed tone as her brother shuffled through the pages.

"Aw, but come on Ruka! You've always wanted to know whether Aki has feelings for Yusei or not, here's our chance to find out!" he protested.

Reason(s) for not using: It was way too cliché. I mean really, haven't you already read this same exact thing a thousand times?

---

Theme #__: Water

Yusei's head bobbed up to the surface, spluttering water as he did. He stared up at Aki for a moment in disbelief that she had actually pushed him into the swimming pool on a winter's night. "W-wha-what did you do that for?"

"I don't if you've noticed, Yusei, but I'm kind of a bitch," she replied nonchalantly.

Reason(s) for not using: Because Aki stopped being a bitchy dominatrix in the canon. Damn writers.

---

Theme #__: Shopping

He felt her hand brush lightly against his, and able to take a hint, he took it. Mikage smiled; although Jack's constant complaining on their little shopping trip was exhausting, this moment alone made it all worthwhile.

Reason(s) for not using: Theme #11 Date essentially replaced this one.

---

Theme #__: Attention

"You need to start taking more responsibility, Aki. You're no longer just acting for yourself; you're carrying our child," explained Yusei before he stopped and glared at his wife, whose eyes were wandering elsewhere. "Aki, did you even hear a word I said?"

"Not a damn thing," she replied.

Reason(s) for not using: First, because I didn't want to. Second, because the main point I wanted to get across was incorporated into Theme #17 Future.

---

Theme #__: OCD

"It just doesn't look right," mused Mikage staring at the recently-hung family portrait on the wall, "Like it's a little bit slanted to the left..."

"Oh my God," muttered Jack, rolling his eyes, "I swear, you're the most OCD person I've ever been with."

"Not my fault you married me."

Reason(s) for not using: Writer's block on this one always prevented me from writing it out; I do like the concept, though.

---

Theme #__: Tears

"Stop it," said Yusei, his hand reaching out to touch her dampened cheek, "I hate to see you cry."

Reason(s) for not using: TOO CHEESY.

---

Theme #__: Stands

Her heart was pounding, threatening to punch out of her chest, and she wasn't even the one dueling. She knew, however, that when Jack dueled, there was much more at stake than just pride; if he lost, he lost his title, his fame, his glory... everything that made him King in the eyes of Neo Domino.

None of that mattered to Mikage, of course; he would always be the King to her. Jack, on the other hand, found his own self-worth in the title. And if it was important to him, then it was important to her too. But all she could ever do was watch him from the stands alongside all his adoring fans, silently cheering for him... hoping that he could only do his best.

Reason(s) for not using: I was never motivated enough to write it.

---

Theme #__: Tune

Everywhere she went that day, she was singing. Well, she wasn't pouring out a heartsong or anything of that sort, but she definitely had been humming a catchy little tune.

And it drove Jeager _crazy_. No, she wasn't a terrible singer; it was just that it bothered him to not know what had her in such a cheerful mood. A raise? A promotion? A new job?

Or perhaps it wasn't career-related. Perhaps it was something more mundane, something outside of work...

"Good morning," Jeager heard Mikage cheerfully to her superior, Jack Atlas as the elvish man walked briskly by the room they presided in. It wasn't her greeting that caught his attention; she greeted him in this manner everyday. It was Jack's response that shocked him:

"Morning to you too," he replied casually before he bent down and kissed her. Jeager stumbled over his feet at this, spluttering incoherent words as he did.

Reason(s) for not using: Actually, I regret not using this one. It would've been much better than something like Theme #21 Crazy, which remains today as my least favorite theme. But I never seemed to get around to writing it.

---

Theme #__: Smile

A smile was a rare thing to find on ther faces; but it was the one thing they shared more with each other than anything else.

Reason(s) for not using: Because Aki started smiling. ;_;

---

Theme #__: Dance

"Yusei... I don't know how to dance... I never learned, " she confessed finally, shuffling her feet uncomfortably. Yusei smiled, and taking her hands into his, brought her closer to him.

"Don't worry, I'll teach you," he whispered, his hand traveling down to meet her waist.

Reason(s) for not using: I've used the dance concept several other times in other stories of mine, so I decided to forgo it.

---

Theme #__: Hellfire

"Jack Atlas," Aki declared loudly, slowly and angrily rising to her feet, "I now have every intention of making your life hell."

Jack rolled his eyes.

"God have mercy on me," he replied sarcastically.

Reason(s) for not using: I couldn't come up with anything for Aki to be angry about, haha.

---

Theme #__: Photographs

"Good lord, how many photos do they need?" asked Aki, lifting the skirt of her wedding dress to walk faster, and therefore further away from the horde of paparazzi that had invaded her and Yusei's wedding.

"As many as it takes to fill up the camera's memory card," replied Yusei with a chuckle.

Reason(s) for not using: Sort of replaced by Theme #48 Story.

---

Theme #__: Kiss

"If you love me, then kiss me, dammit," murmured Aki.

---

Theme #__: Love

Yusei stared at Aki incredulously as she sauntered out of the room, and then looked at Jack, who put his hands up defensively.

"Don't look at me; you're the one who fell in love with her," he said coolly.

Reason(s) for not using: This was intended to be Theme #50 from the beginning. However, at the last minute, I switched course and went with "Change of Heart," which I had previously intended on scrapping.

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**Part 3: Failed Themes

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**

Theme # __: Responsibility

She was panicking.

It was several hours past midnight, and he still hadn't returned home. She had called him dozens of times, yet he had not returned any of her calls. She had contacted Yusei, Crow, Ushio, Aki, and even Carley to see if any of them knew where he was. The answer from all was, of course, no.

Her first thought was perhaps that he was having an affair; but as the hours passed by, her fears worsened. What if he had been kidnapped? Worse, what if he had been murdered? She had expressed these fears to Ushio during their conversation, but he insisted that she didn't need to fret - Jack was a grown man, and he could take perfectly good care of himself. That, however, was said several hours ago, before the night began to stretch into the early hours of morning.

Within minutes, Mikage found herself in the bathroom again. She bent over the white toilet bowl, sick; she wasn't sure whether it was because she was terribly worried, or if was for... other reasons. After finishing, she stood up, wiping her mouth as she glanced over at the sink. Several empty boxes of pregnancy tests littered the counter.

The woman inhaled deeply and began rubbing her temples. She was starting to get a headache, but she had already taken a set of painkillers less than an hour ago, and anymore would risk addiction. Mikage then went out to the kitchen and had a glass of water, hoping that maybe she was just dehydrated, and that a bit of water would cure her of her pounding head. No sooner had she finished her glass, she could hear the door swing open.

"Jack," she breathed, enthralled. She rushed to the living room, and sure enough, there he was, drenched from the rain. His face sported fantastically colored black eye, and a rather large gash running down his cheek. His arm looked a little limp, and was perhaps broken. His blonde hair was dirty with a mix of mud and blood.

"Wha-what happened?" she asked, her eyes wide. Jack smirked slightly.

"I had a brush up with a street gang; they outnumbered me drastically, but they were still no match for Jack Atlas," he explained in brief, "Security should have picked them up by now." Mikage fell silent. She bit her lip and felt herself starting to shake, blinking back tears. Jack's eyes widened.

"Hey..." he began, stepping up toward her. "It's fine, really, I was only a little roughed up."

"You're such an idiot."

Surprise crossed the younger man's face. He had never heard his wife speak to him with such a dark tone; yes, he knew she tended to get worried about him and she would reprimand him when he did something rash but...

"What's wrong?" he asked, almost idiotically.

"What's wrong? What's wrong?!" she exclaimed, the fury becoming evident in her voice. "I've literally worried myself _sick_ about you; you always run off and get involved in crime like you're some sort of immortal vigilante of law! It's dangerous work!"

"Hey, you used to be involved with the law too!" he protested, his anger growing as well.

"Yes, but I was an the Chief of Special _Investigations, _I only ever attended crime scenes!" she defended, "Even so, I resigned after we got married because I wanted you to be my first priority! I wasn't willing to risk an accident when I had you to live for; I thought we _understood_ that!"

"I do understand that! But I'm here and I'm alive, so I don't see the problem with--"

"Because I'm terrified that our child will have to grow up without a father!"

Jack froze and Mikage broke down crying. The D-Wheeler remained silent for a moment, watching his wife weep helplessly. Soon, guilt started to grip his heart, like a terrible poison, killing him slowly and painfully. Jack sucked in his breath, feeling himself grow dizzy. He wandered over to the sofa to recollect himself.

"So... you're pregnant?" he asked quietly after a moment. She nodded, bringing her hands up to her face to dry her tears. Jack shut his eyes, "Are you sure?" Again, Mikage nodded.

"I've taken three different tests today; all came out positive."

Jack pursed his lips; it felt too early. That hadn't even reached their first anniversary, and already, she was with child. He had always been under the impression that they would spend a few years together as a married couple before actually starting a family. Although, he supposed he should have expected this; they weren't exactly "careful" when it came to intimacy.

The bloodied duelist suddenly cleared his throat. "Come here," he said as gently as he could. His wife obeyed, and Jack carefully brough her onto his lap, wrapping his arm around her waist.

"I'm sorry," he said in a hushed tone, kissing her neck. Mikage felt her muscles relax, melting in his grasp.

"I know... " she said, her voice trailing off, "I just worry about you... when you run off like that, I just... I love you, I don't know what I would do if something happened to you."

"I love you too," replied Jack, his hand moving to feel her abdomen, "And I promise I won't try to worry you like this anymore... for you and the baby."

Reason(s) for scrapping: I hated it. Mikage and Jack both seemed really OOC, and the writing itself just felt really choppy.

---

Theme #__: Surprise

"Stop moving."

"Sorry... I'm just a little bit excited."

It was a few minutes before midnight, and Yusei's wife had been tossing and turning all night, acting like an antsy child. He understood, of course, that she had a reason to be. For, they were pregnant with their first child. But there was more to the equation than that; he had come up with the _brilliant_ idea of sealing the gender results from her ultrasound in an envelope, to open on Christmas day, tomorrow.

"A little bit?"

"Okay, _a lot,_" laughed Aki, scooting over toward her husband to nuzzle up to him, "but aren't you excited too?"

Excited? Of course he was excited; it was just a little hard to show at 11:58 p.m.

Reason(s) for scrapping: Unfinished. It was intended for Christmas... but I had writer's block, and Christmas came and went. So I scrapped it.

---

Theme #__: Bad Dreams

He never signed up for _this_; no one told him _this_ would ever happen. Of course, he had expected that during the first year or so of his daughter's life, he would need to force himself to get up during the middle of the night to attend to her needs as an infant. But, he had hoped that as she grew older, her tendency to wake up him and his wife during the middle of the night would diminish.

But instead, it _evolved_. Now, she would personally visit him at two or three in the morning instead of crying to have him come to her. Why she chose to wake him rather than his wife? He didn't know.

"Dad?" Nasako inquired quietly, poking her father's sleeping form. Jack grumbled and turned over.

"Dad!?" she asked again, this time louder. Again, Jack ignored her.

"Daddy!" she persisted, practically screaming

"Okay, what?!" exclaimed Jack, throwing the sheets off of him as he sat up and glared at the little girl. The blonde man could feel Mikage stir next to him as Nasako sniffled and teared up. Immediately, Jack felt guilty for having snapped at his daughter. True, it was late, but she was only five years-old; she wasn't quite old enough to grasp that her mommy and daddy had jobs they needed to attend to in the morning.

"I-I had a bad dream... " Nasako stuttered, her tiny hands rising to her face to wipe her eyes dry. Jack sighed.

"Come here, sweetheart," he replied, picking her up and setting her on his lap. The motion disturbed Mikage enough to wake her also, and she sat up beside her husband.

"What's the matter?" she asked tiredly, leaning up against Jack.

Reason(s) for scrapping: Unfinished. Plainly, I didn't like how it was turning out.

* * *

So... That's it. That's all I've got. Um, wow, so now that's it's actually over... I can worry about procrastinating on my other stories! Yay!

Hey, they may be faulty products, but it's still worth reviewing, right? Over 5000 words a failure deserves a review, in my opinion. (Please review.)


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